The Legend of Zelda: Prince of the Sea
by BSKP
Summary: Following the defeat of Ganondorf, Hyrule is once again at peace. But when strangers arrive at Hyrule Castle and threaten unbalance in the kingdom, Link embarks on an epic adventure to a foreign land to ensure the safety of Queen Zelda. For as a hero, Link must fight for what is right, even at the cost of his own heart. Follows the events of LoZ: Twilight Princess.
1. Chapter One: Ordon

Hey everybody!

**If you have any questions, feel free to post them in your review or PM me and I will answer them when I can and try to apply more info into future chapters!**

This story, LoZ: PotS, is rated M for detailed violence, suggestive themes, and language. Expect lengthy chapters with a lot of detail drawing not only from Twilight Princess but also Ocarina of Time, Skyward Sword, among other tidbits of other games.

Expect action, violence, blood, rich fight scenes, death, maybe a lemon or two and a lot more!

Please Note* If I missed any grammatical errors... I'll find them eventually.

**I do not own the Legend of Zelda.**

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_'How do you return to a normal life after having accomplished and seen more things than anyone else who've ever known? Things you never thought possible before, things that should not exist but do? How do you move past it all? Pretend it all never happened or that what's done is done? How do you go on living?'_

These were only some of the questions among the tangled plethora of thoughts clouding the mind of the figure that was staring out across a grazed-upon field. Sprawled out this way and that, his wards moseyed around idly and remaining ignorant of his internal plight and high above, the vast blue sky was dotted with white clouds. Absentmindedly picking at the grass, the young man sighed for the hundredth time before allowing his victimized blades to flutter away to freedom in the wind. His blue-eyed gaze fell to his left hand and there his pupils traced the triangular birthmark that distinguished him as someone important, someone who had a destiny, who was meant for great things. Yet here he was, leading an ordinary life, as an ordinary goat herder, in an ordinary village… even his clothes were ordinary.

Ordinary now, or rather again, but the young man's life wasn't always this quiet and Link was definitely having difficulty returning back to what he used to refer to as his whole world. But really, how many people have to essentially relearn how to take a bath without worrying about being ambushed by monsters? Link did apparently. Hell, the first time that a goat had escaped from the ranch and Link found himself in its path, he had stopped the beast with ease but had grappled with it so strongly, his expression had turned so dark, that when he tossed it aside, the animal landed hard and was injured. Link had been deeply apologetic and horrified that he had hurt the goat and Fado and Mayor Bo both had to calm him down and reassure him that it had been noting but a mistake, that the got would simply walk it off. Eventually Link relented but what truly had scared him was that when the goat had charged, he swore it was a Bullbo, or something just as evil and dangerous. When Link hurled the creature aside he had been intending to hurt it in order to protect the village, but it had been simply a goat. Goats weren't the only things Link had difficulty with. Currently his daily routine consisted of waking early, washing and dressing, making breakfast before heading out into the crisp morning air to tend to his silver bay mare, Epona, in order to head off to work at Ordon Ranch. All were simple enough tasks but doing them all without constantly looking over your shoulder for an approaching Poe or Bulblin made them slightly stressful. Link had always taken his time with his truly noble steed in that he made sure she was properly groomed, that her hooves cleaned, and that her mane and tail were combed so that all the dirt and tangles were gone. Perhaps taking his time was an overstatement because it seemed that more often than naught these days, no matter how early he awoke, Link was usually late to meet Fado up at the Ordon Ranch.

With each stroke of his grooming brush upon his horse, Link would sink deeper into his thoughts and into his dread of having to face yet another mundane day and he would lose track of time. It was no secret that he wasn't satisfied with his duties anymore, for the entire village knew it; behind their smiles and comfort, they knew that he was unhappy. In the beginning when Link had first returned home adorned in heroic green, astride his mare, and his adventures and deeds swollen to idealized and grandiose levels by the village children whom he had saved, things seemed to be all right. Welcomed like the hero he was, Link's return home was overcast with an invisible shadow that hung over him and he quickly realized that no one would understand, even if he tried to explain it. There was just too much to tell and Link had never been good at talking, period. The villagers called him the 'Saviour of Hyrule,' as did the entire kingdom, but Link knew that he did not deserve all the credit.

His gratitude and smile satisfied most of them, the people whom Link had grown up with, but there were the few who could read that behind his blue eyes he was conflicted, hurt, and that there were things on his mind that he should talk about but wouldn't. It did not take long for Rusl, Link's mentor and practically surrogate father who had taken the young Hylian under his wing after his parents died, to pull Link aside in private.

"Link," he greeted, "I just wanted to let you know again how thankful I am of you for saving my boy, Colin. I don't think that I'll ever feel like I've repaid you for what you've done. It's so goo to have you back home though, but I just wanted to, umm... I wanted to ask about, I mean..." Rusl began but paused, the older man trying to find the words he had obviously practiced in saying, but his counterpart beat him to it.

"I know what you're going to ask, if I'm okay or something, but the truth is I really don't want to talk about it. Not just yet anyways." Link spoke softly, not meeting his mentor's eye but it was the truth, however vague it was. "I'm glad to home too, yeah."

Finally when Link did look up to smile at the master swordsman, who studied him thoughtfully, silent and clearly wanting to say more, Rusl however only nodded in understanding, respecting the teenager's privacy and true to form he would not bring it up again. Rusl expressed his pride and wonderment towards Link, assuring him that he would always be welcomed at his home and that he would always be there if the younger man needed. That in itself Link appreciated more than words could describe.

There were, however, others who were not at placid as Rusl with Link's ambiguous responses of what was on his mind, namely Ilia. She had been one of the first to greet him when the village discovered he had returned. Speaking of his return, something strange happened when he had come back and he hadn't meant to do it. Link did not trot down into the centre of Ordon like he had imagined, announcing that he was home and that the evil threatening Hyrule had been vanquished, or something along those lines, with fanfare and birds flying around while the cheers of his fellow villagers filled the air. Instead, he went to his house on the outskirts of the village, unsaddled Epona, then headed up to his empty home. With the door closed behind him, Link just stood in the middle of the floor staring dully at the familiar surroundings under the twilight that seeped into his windowpanes. Only after of few minutes of standing in silence did he fall to his knees, exhausted, and shrugged off his Hylian shield and empty scabbard, before pulling off his forest green hat while the night's darkness enveloped him.

"Home sweet home…" he mumbled dryly and had half-awaited the snarky remark that had been his echo for the past few months.

When the response never came and the silence of his house seemed to mock him, Link thumbed the durable material of his hat and admired the stitching with his finger, wondering absently if the hat had any real useful function besides being awesome and very warm, which was not fun in Gerudo Desert. Removing himself from the floor, Link lit a couple of candles before heading towards his cellar to lock his heroic life away. Stowing away the Hero's Clothes, his shield, his belt, gauntlets, and everything else that identified him as the hero Hyrule now recognized him as in a chest, Link shut the lid and tried to turn his back on his heroism and settle back into his rustic life. When the villagers and Ilia had come to his house the following morning Link was dressed in his simple Ordon clothes, bearing no heroic significance save for the mark of the Triforce upon his hand and the memories within his heart.

The moment he showed his face from his door, cheers and shouts of joy bombarded his ears and Link was nearly dragged down his ladder. Hands clasped his arms with pride, clamped him on the head and shoulders, and the villagers' infectious praises aroused a shy grin and blush within his cheeks. His chagrin only intensified when he found himself face to face with the girl who he had literally risked his life for. Ilia, his best friend for years, who threw her arms around his neck and planted a not-so-subtle kiss upon his cheek, which only roused the villagers even more, though their cheering turned to chuckles and glances at the embarrassed mayor, the girl's father. The kiss for sure took Link by surprise but what really took him aback was that he was not more excited for it and all he did in response was give her an awkward hug.

Once all the hullabaloo had settled, after everyone had their share of his ear, smothered him with questions and gratitude for returning their children and of course after the grand feast that was held in his honour, did Ilia manage to drag Link aside to finally speak with him in private. How fitting it was Link thought, that they found themselves at Ordon Spring, or maybe it was some sort of poetic ring composition. Among the pleasantly dancing waters, home of the Light Spirit Ordona, was where Link's entire adventure began. Ilia sat aside him on the sand, both looking at the scenery and listening to the bubbling spring, and after a few moments she spoke.

"Link. I do not know how I could ever thank you, for saving me and the others and for helping me restore my memories and all… It's been a while since I last saw you and, well, I'm so happy that you're back now, that we're all back home." Pausing she looked at him, met his eye, and smiled while blushing in the moonlight. "You are truly amazing."

Rubbing the back of his neck, Link quickly broke eye contact, out of apparent shyness and said slowly, "Well, I had help," he said simply and was about to go on, but the sudden lump in his throat stopped him and he remained silent.

Ilia, catching is hesitation and perhaps interrupting it differently, reached over to take his hand and looking down, she continued, "I must admit, your bravery will become legendary, everyone knows that, and it's easy to see that just by looking at you. Even when I did not remember you, when I saw you, I felt... no, I knew that you were a hero, that you were meant to help people and for greatness!" Biting her lower lip, Ilia struggled to find her words and giggled at herself to which Link smiled softly at but he took his hand from hers to idly toss a pebble into the waters of the spring.

"Ilia. A lot has happened during my travels, so much that really, I can't fathom it all looking back on it but, it's ah… going to take some time I think until I get used to everything again. I mean… I've been through a lot after all." That was as close as Link had wanted to get to the issue at hand and he had hoped that Ilia would understand like Rusl had, but she would not let him off that lightly.

Leaning closer, concern and perhaps slight hurt in her expression, Ilia began to ask, "What do you mean, Link? I can understand that you've been through more things than anyone here could comprehend. Hell, the things I've seen I'm sure are only a fraction of what you probably have, but why don't you tell me? I can help you, I'm sure I can… I mean we used to tell… I mean, we do tell each other everything, don't we? If we talked about it all, maybe it'll get better for you." Crossing her arms, Ilia pouted slightly before smirking aside as her friend, "Face it, you've always just bottled everything up and not want to talk about it."

Link could not answer her, not this time, and his hesitation seemed enough to inform Ilia of that, although the sigh he heard from her made him frown with guilt. The guilt that he felt was not because Ilia was clearly disappointed that he would not open up to her, but more so due to the fact that he felt no heartache that he had disappointed her and that confused him.

"I'm just asking for a bit of time, Ilia, okay? Just to figure things out. Please? I'll be all right, it's just weird to back home I guess."

Looking up at her, Link caught the fleeting sight of his friend's frown before Ilia's expression changed to a smile and she nodded. Returning her smile was enough for the girl to reach over and hug him, whispering into his ear, "I am so glad that you're home, Link," and while Link hugged her back, he found himself thinking if he truly was as glad as she was.

That was almost five months ago now and during that time Link had indeed returned to his rustic routine and how he now found himself sitting on the grass of the goat pasture with Epona grazing a few feet away from him. He had been trying, he truly had, to move on and relax back into his life before monsters destroyed Ordon's pleasant and safe reality and brought the Twilight to the doorstep of the Ordona Province. The children of Ordon were kidnapped and Link had been imprisoned, though when he had awakened he found himself changed into a wolf, a form courtesy of the piece of the Triforce that resided in his hand that had protected him from the darkness of the Twilight Realm. It was as a wolf that he had met the person who was now a constant presence in his thoughts.

"And to think, I was her '_slave_' at the start," Link thought aloud, smirking at the memory. His musings were disturbed when the eighteen-year-old's attention turned to the sky to see a black spot against the vast azure, which he recognized to be the hawk that he knew he could summon with some Hawk Grass. The fact that he had heard the bird's call from such a far distance only gave more reason why the villagers worried about Link and perhaps slightly feared him. Having been able to transform into a wolf had been useful in situations and while Link had grown accustomed at being a four-legged beast, the transformation was only supposed to be when he came into contact with the Twilight. However, it would seem that the darkness had imprinted itself upon his soul and body.

Smells and sounds sometimes came upon Link's senses too strongly, occasionally resulting in him having to cover his ears while others looked on in concern but unable to help him. Not disclosing what was wrong with him, the villagers had no explanation why Link would sometimes sniff the air or even growl. Rusl, worried over Link's well being but wanting to give the youth time to open up on his own, tried to quell his fellow villagers' concerns and reassure them that he was fine. In truth, how was Link supposed to explain himself anyways? How does someone tell others that there were times on his journey where he could turn into a wolf and that's actually how he managed to find the children and Ilia? Oh, and on top of things that when he was a wolf, how he was also ridden by a magical imp who turned out to be the Twilight Princess?

"Midna," he whispered, watching the hawk soar across the sky before disappearing from sight. A breeze shifted his light brown hair and Link reached up and rubbed his eyes before lying back upon the ground with a grunt. Too many nights now since his return Link had been awoken by nightmares, riddled with monsters, or endless darkness drowning him, or the maniac figure of Zant, or the thunderous, dark chuckle of Ganondorf, which was the worst of all. No matter how hard Link fought, how many enemies he slew, his dreams always ended with Midna leaving his side and Link suddenly having to face all those evils by himself and becoming overwhelmed.

Never could Link forget the last time he saw her leaving this realm for her own and in her wake the Mirror of Twilight shattering, thus ending all connections between their worlds. His friend, who at first he couldn't stand but then grew to trust, was gone. After all they had went through, she just left, just like that, with a simple good-bye and then nothing. Link had been left standing aside the Princess Zelda, both in a states of shock and Link hadn't quite gotten over Midna leaving yet, knowing that he probably would never see her again. In the end, Link just really missed his friend and that was partly the reason why he couldn't sleep at night, why his thoughts brought with them such a sad expression to his face. When he thought about her, Link found it difficult to visualize Midna anything but the snarky imp he had developed a deep sense of trust and friendship with, while the tall beauty of a princess whom had said farewell to him seemed like a stranger. A close friend turned stranger...

"Link!"

Link's eyes snapped open and he bolted upright, unaware that he had begun to fall asleep, when he saw Fado waving at him from across the field. A glance at the sky revealed that the day was coming to an end and that the herd needed to be moved into the barn. Link raised his hand to acknowledge the other before standing to mount Epona. Taking the reigns in hand, Link made fast work of his farmhand duties and in no time, Fado was shutting the barn gates and dusting his hands upon his pants.

"Well now, Link! That's a fine job you did and I can't tell you how nice it is having you back, you know, you and all of the other children. I can say, life's back to normal, eh?"

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?"

Clapping Epona lightly on her rump, Fado grinned up at Link who nodded and smiled back before bidding the rancher goodnight and trotted out of the ranch. Descending the hill into the main layout of Ordon village, Link slowed his mount to a walk and here and there he raised his hand in greeting or gave a nod, but did not stop for a chat and no one tried to have one with him. It had taken a couple of months but eventually everyone realized that Link wanted space. Even Colin, Malo, and the other children didn't come by his house as often as they had before. While he hadn't intentionally wanted to push everyone away, that's what had been happening and as much as Link tried to vouch for his reasons, he found more often than not that he liked it this way.

The hero preferred not to be bothered and a lot of his alone time was spent practicing his swordsmanship with the Hylian blade Princess Zelda had given to him, among other titles and honours. After months of training with it, the sword still felt awkward in his hand, a dull piece of steel rather then the pulsing extension of his arm of evil's bane that was the Master Sword. The sword of legend he had returned to the ruined Temple of Time, advised by the princess, for his adventures and need of it ought to have been over. Still, he was the Hero Chosen by the Gods and only he could wield the legendary blade, meaning any other sword felt just wrong in his grip.

One afternoon not long after he had returned to Ordon, Link had been practising with the Hylian sword and was intent on seeing the death of a frail scarecrow but every swing of the sword felt wrong and spurred the boy's anger. With every slice, strike, slash, and swing, Link's expression darkened with fury, his mouth shifted into a snarl of annoyance, and his eyes blazed with impatience and irritation. With one final slash and a mighty yell, Link succeeded in hewing his target in two at the waist and breathing heavily, the hero watched his foe fall. The damned scarecrow mocked him, even when it was splinters on the forest floor, its faceless head stared at him and Link recoiled when a maniacal laughter filled his head. Link gasped, dropped his sword, and fell to his knees with his hands tightly covering his ears, eyes shut tight. With his pulse thundering in his ears, the cackling soon died away and Link coughed and sputtered when he was free of the memory of the tall, dark figure of Ganondorf. The dark king plagued Link's nightmares and from lack of sleep tearing down at the hero's senses, was also beginning to invade his waking hours as well. Heaving breaths shook Link's body and a deep growls rumbled from his chest while he weakly gripped for the scarecrow's head and numbly beat it with his fist.

"It's over! it's over..." he mumbled again and again, angrily punching at the straw-filled sack that was the scarecrow's head. "I'm not a wolf! I'm not Hyrule's hero anymore! I'm just..."

Just an ordinary farm boy.

Pausing with his punches Link stayed like that, kneeling on the ground with his head hanging low almost as if he were in mourning for the murder he had just committed of a simple scarecrow, angry tears rolling rebelliously down his face. Eventually he stopped shaking and was able to take a deep breath and collect his wits back together again, but failed to find a reason to move from that spot. Why? Why should he get up? To do what? For the first time in months, Link didn't know what to do next and he was tired of expecting Midna to appear and smack him while she ordered that he get going. Midna was gone, she had got what she wanted, had broken the curse on her, and had helped Link stop Ganondorf. Midna had left to get on with her own life so why couldn't Link? Why couldn't he shake the feeling that he was uncomfortable in the one place in all of Hyrule that he had always called home?

"Why can't things be like the way they were before?"

It wasn't until he felt a nudge on his back did a spark of life appear back in his eyes and Link turned to see Epona's majestic head looming over him that gave the Hylian the strength to stand. Letting the sack-of-a-head roll from his lap, Link got up, dusted off his pants, and wrapped his arms around his mare's neck to bury his face into her mane.

"What's the matter with me?" he had muttered to her, but Epona had given him no answer that day.

Riding up the small hill, Link finally came into sight of his house and he stared up at the dwelling with an indifferent expression, daring even a glance at the fallen figure of the scarecrow that had remained untouched since its murder months before, leaves had srifted to partly hide the maimed body. Typically, after a day's work a man would be glad to return home and be able to eat and rest but Link simply followed the motions of dismounting from his horse and unsaddling her, his movements stiff and mechanical while his thoughts whirled.

Nowadays if he wasn't practicing with his sword or busying himself with Epona, or some other mundane task, Link found himself to be anxious, restless, paranoid at sounds, and tense, though he tried to hide it form the rest of the villagers. His adventures had not only transformed him into a wolf but also into a warrior, a hero nevertheless, and as Link unsaddled Epona he knew that he was living a lie. Whoever heard of a hero truly retiring to a mundane life of concord? A hero never lost his sense of guard, sense of morality and of justice, and herding goats wasn't really that brave or trying. It did not matter how much he tried or how much time he afforded, but Link was simply no longer just a farmhand. He had seen too much, done too much, and now he was finding that the life he used to yearn for back when he first began his adventures no longer held any comfort nor lustre for him.

"Some things, you just can't change," he mumbled, stroking his horse's neck until she bumped him with her nose in affection. Link had raised Epona since she had been a yearling, a fine though spirited young filly, but with time, patience, and a lot of bruises did Link managed to gain her trust. The mare was about four now, healthy and young, and Link had considered in the past breeding her knowing that she would make a good mother and any offspring she bore would make fine mounts, but his recent role as a hero had but an end to that idea. The teen trusted the horse with his life and he had relied on her plenty of times as of late to carry him to safety and breeding her would put an end to that. Call him selfish, but now that he has lost Midna, Link didn't want to lose Epona either, if one could call her foaling as losing her.

But what was he saying? Change happened all the time! Link had just found himself in a rut in his life and was being pessimistic, a quality uncommon to his usual nature. Frowning and letting his head sink, Link dramatically fell over when Epona nudged him, causing the mare to snort and sniff at her fallen master in the tall grass at her feet. Eyes closed, Link remained as still as he could while he fought against reacting to the tickling ability of Epona's soft muzzle, the horse's lips smacking on his cheek and his nose was in danger of being nipped. Peeking a blue eye open, Link met his mare's big and bright, brown eye and a chuckle bubbled past his lips when she blinked at him.

"I'm fine," he told her, reaching up to obediently respond to her call for affection. "Yeah, I'm fine..." he repeated, his tone lower and his smile faded.

That wasn't true. Hell, sometimes Link wasn't even sure what was real anymore. Occasionally when he was out in the goat field, lounging in the grass like he had been today, he had to ask himself if Midna was actually real, if the Master Sword, Ganondorf, and everything else that had actually happened or if he had dreamt it all up. Link had come full circle, from simple farmhand to hero and back again, and it was only the faint birthmark of the Triforce upon his left hand that was a physical reminder that it all had been real. Shifting in the tall grass, Link continued to idly scratch Epona's neck while she pleasantly began munching on the grass. From his vantage point, Link didn't have much of a view of the sky but from what he could see, the creeping, rosy tendrils of sunset were slowly tainting the rich blue of the day. He had to get up, get things done like grooming Epona, giving her hay, and getting inside to eat for himself, but by the goddesses... that did not sound exciting at all.

Relenting to his inner sense of responsibility, the teen sat up, grass in his hair, that Epona happily helped him remove with a tugging pull of her lips on his light brown hair. Chucking again, Link gently shoved her aside and stood, smoothing his wild locks and set to work. Grooming Epona thoroughly before leaving the mare to her hay, Link climbed up to his house to begin the monotonous routine of lighting his hearth's fire and readying his meal before heading to bed.

Retrieving his tinder cloth and flint, Link knelt before the hearth and built up his kindling. Just as he was about to strike his steel and flint, a knock came upon his door and the Hylian looked up from where he was kneeling before his hearth in surprise.

"Who is it?"

"Link! It's me. Let me in, would'ya?"

Hearing Ilia's voice caused the young man to momentarily frown. Recently, he found himself slightly avoiding the girl, who had done him justice as his friend by having not barraged him with questions, but had made it clear that her feelings for him were more than friendship. This Link already knew and for a long time had hoped for, though given these past few months, he found that while he could kiss her, which happened on occasion now, he did not think of her as he once had. Getting up and walking to the door, he unlatched it to reveal Ilia's smile, to which he returned. Standing aside, he allowed her to come in and shutting the door, the youth barely had the latch closed before he found himself in an embrace.

"Ilia? Ah, how are you?" he said in surprise before trying to sound casual and gently settling his hands upon her back.

"Fine," she replied shortly, "Link, we need to talk."

"Oh," he breathed, feeling his dread stir within his chest. "What do you mean ta-"

Link was cut off by soft fingers to his lips and, confused, he followed Ilia when she led him to sit before the cold hearth. Picking up the flint and steel he had left on the floor, Ilia began striking the metal to spark the tinder cloth as she spoke, "Okay, here it is. These past five months I have been nothing but patient with you, I think anyways. I've tried to be there for you when you need me and I admit that I'm happy to be with you. But, Link, I can't... I can't stand it anymore." Pausing to blow on her small flame, Ilia continued once smoke began to billow and signalling the life of a new fire, looking at Link with an expression that used to make him flinch. "I can't stand the waiting, the silence, and the dismissal you seem to give the entire village these days without actually doing anything. I mean, what on earth could have happened to you to become so distant and why won't you talk to me? It's driving me crazy insane, Link! And it doesn't help in the least that you seem to have no idea that you're doing it! Well, I mean you could, but _that _would be so cruel, especially for you."

The more Ilia spoke, the more frantic and angry her tone became until she was gazing at Link with desperate, angry eyes. It was clear that she had been bottling these words up for a while and they had all come out in sort of a heated rush. Wetting his lips, Link looked away from her only to have his cheeks taken and forcefully turned back to face her.

"Oh no! No, you will look at me, and I want answers, Link! Just… please, let me in, let me help you! Please, just give me a reason not to worry! And I am worried, Link, worried about you and about us... I mean..." Ilia paused to take a deep breath, her eyes upon her growing fire, "I can't help this feeling in the pit of my stomach that you're going to leave." The end of her sentence was barely louder than a whisper and filled with a storage of insecurity and worry.

"Ilia," Link began slowly, trying to find the words, "We've talked about this before, I just need time, okay? I went through a lot and still don't know if I want to talk about it all. I don't think I'm asking for a lot with that."

Ilia frowned and sighed. "I know," she relented, "I just... I just want to help you but how can I when you won't let me in? You won't let anyone in and I'm sorry to say but if you haven't noticed, the entire village is worried too, Link."

"I know," Link mumbled, reaching up to reach the back of his neck, trying not to get annoyed about this entire conversation. He could understand Ilia's feelings and appreciated her concern, but fuck! He didn't want to deal with this sort of thing, not now anyways. Running his fingers through his hair, that small voice at the back of his mind argued that if not now, then when? How was it fair to keep Ilia in the dark when it was clear she wanted to know more and help him?

"Ilia," he began, but was quickly cut off because apparently, Ilia wasn't done.

"Oh, and then there's the whole... Well, I don't even know what to call it, but sometimes the way you act..." Ilia clearly was stumbling to find the right words and it was then that Link was starting to get annoyed because he knew very well what she was referring to.

"What?" He pushed, arching a brow somewhat critically.

Ilia, her expression hardening to match his, lifted her chin and in a steady tone said, "Sometimes you act like a dog or something, and yes I mean that literally. People are talking, Link. You've been heard growling, people swear that they hear howling from your house at night, and more than once Sera has seen you talking to her cat, as in conversation wise." Crossing her arms Ilia leaned forward, forcing Link to sit back and in a louder tone the young woman continued, "I mean what the hell is up with that, Link? And why the hell can't you tell me? I want to understand but you sure are making it difficult to be with..."

Ilia faded to silence, her eyes narrowed dangerously and her lips quivered but Link, being as oblivious as he could sometimes be, failed to see that his friend was only trying to hold back her tears so when he spoke, anger burned in his voice.

"What? Difficult to be with me? Well sorry to burst your bubble, Ilia, but perhaps it's those very reasons that I don't want to talk about it because look how you react! Maybe I am crazy but I've been through hell and back if you haven't figured that out! Why in all of Hyrule would you want to be with me if-"

Without warning or given any chance of time for Link to finish his tirade, Ilia leaned forward and forcefully pressed her lips upon his. Taking only a moment to react, Link kissed back like he usually did, enjoying the taste of her lips, with as equal passion as she was giving him and while wrapping his arms hungrily around her, he hoped. Link hoped that he would once again feel something for her that resembled what he used to, like before when he was nothing more than a farmhand. Did he enjoy brooding and being as vague as Ilia accused him of being? Not entirely, there was a part of him that wanted to be normal again but call that wishful thinking. Still, he had been trying and if that entailed deepening his kissing as Ilia gently pushed him onto his back to practically straddle him, then so be it. Ironic though, him baring the Triforce of Courage, he couldn't even confess up to his best friend that he didn't love her anymore. Link knew that he was being cowardly, leading Ilia on with the way he was kissing her now and the way his fingers slid across the back of her neck; kissing Ilia helped him forget his own troubles and if he told her that, she'd probably hate him for it.

_'I probably would have told Midna,'_ he thought in spite of his current situation, causing him to pause, but Ilia only responded by caressing his cheek to coax him back into her rhythm.

The heat of the growing fire in the hearth mirrored the heat Link felt in his body, his masculinity responding to Ilia's lips. His hands slid to her hips to gently hold her as hers caressed his face, a bit strongly if his mind cared to think about it. The first time their lips met was probably around a month after he had returned. In those early days, Link had found himself greatly struggling to return to rustic tasks like being still to watch the goats, fishing, or even carry on a conversation, not that he was great at that in the first place. The children barraged him with questions and begged of him to show him his skills and his various items, but when it came to their inquiries of his quest Link only gave fragments, half-answers. Link's first kiss with Ilia had slightly been a mistake because she had been asking him questions, even though he had asked her not to, but when she wouldn't take no for an answer he had just kissed her.

It just happened, he hadn't intended it but just when Link had tried to pull away, Ilia had thrown her arms around him to deepen the kiss and... Link followed suit. Their tender kissing eventually intensified and their endeavours had lengthened to full make-out sessions and it was all very nice, satisfying even. Link enjoyed feeling Ilia so close, the warmth of her skin. Many times he reasoned this was so because of how he felt for Ilia but then there was the small voice that suggested that he enjoyed simply for the escape, the company of a woman and nothing else.

A small moan escaped his throat that turned into a growl when he felt her hand at his waist's sash, he instinctively grabbed her hand back. Their kiss ended with a gasp as Ilia jerked back in surprise to look down at him, confused and slightly worried.

"What are you doing?" he asked, panting, his tone light but the question held weight. He hoped she wouldn't bring up the fact that he growled while knowing full well that it was the reason she had stopped kissing him. Well, that reason and the fact that she had tried to undo his pants.

"What do you mean?" she answered, glancing at his hand firmly upon her wrist while a deep blush bloomed in her cheeks and her eyes twitched with shyness.

Catching her glance, the heat within him dulled and he quickly released his grip on her arm, though Link looked up at her with growing suspicion. "Ilia? I think you know what I mean," he said slowly.

"Well..." she began, before shrugging slightly, "Why not?"

Sighing, Link shook his head. "No, Ilia, not like this…"

"What do you mean no?" Her response ringed with slight annoyance and perhaps panic but Link was aware that they were both thinking the same thing, or at least he hoped so.

Letting go of her hand, the Hylian leaned up on his forearm to better look up at Ilia as he said, "I mean, this! What are we doing here? We were just arguing and you're mad and... this isn't what you want, is it?"

His question almost came out like an accusation and Link regretted his words when he saw the hurt and embarrassment flash across his friend's face. Frantically she looked around, wetting her lips, before quickly wrapping her arms around his neck so tightly he gasped in surprise.

"Wh-what am I doing here?" she repeated into his, sounding slightly unsure herself, "Link, you stupid idiot, can't you see that I love you? That's why I'm here, to be with you! Please, please don't leave!"

The hero's eyes grew wide from shock and lack of oxygen and he froze. Once upon a time, not too long ago sadly, he would have been over the moon, thanking the goddesses upon hearing Ilia say those words, but now all he could focus on was shifting slightly so he could breathe better in the girl's grasp. He could feel her shaking, desperate and afraid, and naturally he wrapped his arms around her to try and soothe her, though he knew that what he had to say would procure the exact opposite. It was time to be a hero and make the hard but right choice.

"Ilia. I don't think us getting... are you just saying that so I won't leave?" he asked softly.

"Then you are leaving."

Her reply came quick, full of knowing and full of sadness, and Link felt her composure sink a bit as the reality in her words weighed down. However, the Hylian had an inkling that what Ilia really wanted to say was to confirm that he didn't love her, rather then him leaving. Frowning, Link sighed, knowing he would never be able to say that to her but he did love her, though not like she felt towards him. Stroking the back of her hair and opened his lips to speak after he felt her hands on his back.

"Yes," he said simply, being more honest to her in that single word than he probably had been the past months and the word answered more than he wanted to think about.

"For how long?" she mumbled into his hair numbly, her back tense with suppressed sobs.

"I don't know…"

"Will you ever come back?"

Her question brought Ilia back to face him, her eyes brimming with tears that Link realized probably weren't the first she had shed for him concerning this. Reaching up, the man caressed her cheek for a second before whispering, "I… don't know."

Wiping back her tears, Ilia looked away, taking in a breath to try and remain strong, before slowly placing both her hands upon Link's chest, adjusting her position on his lap. When she spoke next, her words were quiet and faint, as if she had spoken them a hundred times so that now they barely held any meaning.

"Do you love me?"

She had said it, dragged it out in the open, and Link wished she hadn't. Pain flashed across his face but he could not lie to himself or especially to her, she deserved more then that after all. "Ilia," he breathed, unsure where to put his hands so he brought one to raise her chin to make her look at him.

The loud slap that suddenly bit his cheek was indication enough that he had her attention. Blinking, the Hylian resisted the urge to rub the sting from Ilia's hand and his guilt deepened when her sobs intensified. "Why not, Link? You save me, you kiss me, but you don't feel anything for me? I thought you did, or hoped you did. I may have lost my memory but I remember us... You-"She would have gone on Link was sure if her sobbing hadn't stolen her capacity for words.

"I think that… for a long time I loved you, Ilia." Link finally said, taking her face with her face to hold her close. "Perhaps I didn't fully know it myself or maybe I was too afraid to say it out loud or maybe it was both, but I have always cared very much about you, I hope you know that." Retrieving his handkerchief from his pocket, the young man tried to help dry her tears but she swatted him away, leaving him only to continue. "Then you were taken and I felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest and I knew that I would do anything, give anything, to save you. But, when I found you, Ilia in Hyrule Town, you did not know me. I found the pain of knowing that I may never get the chance to tell you how I felt almost overwhelming, that I had lost my chance."

Taking a moment to pause because his own voice was beginning to crack, Link took a deep breath and closed his eyes, feeling the pricks of tears but he could no stop the truth from his lips even if he wanted to. "I fought hard and many enemies to ensure your safety and that of everyone else until I realized that I was fighting for my life, both literally and figuratively I guess. You, Beth, Colin, Malo, and Talo, you all mean so much to me and you all are apart of my life here in Ordon. I… err, I mean… when you regained your memory, it was as if I suddenly got my life back! I was so happy and for a moment it felt that all I had fought for was finally over, because I had been fighting for you most of all. I wanted to tell you how I felt but even then I couldn't find the words."

Ilia hiccupped a tiny smile and dabbed away at her eyes, giving Link a moment to collect himself, his voice changing into a more serious tone. "But it wasn't over, Ilia, the fighting, and I fear that it will never truly be over. I had more to do and the more I did the more I realized that… I could never go back to my old life, never return to being carefree or settle down, not in Ordon anyway or…"

"Not with me." Ilia finished Link's sentence and she looked at him with heavy eyes and it was all Link could do but return her gaze, owning up to his words and his resolve.

Swallowing, Link stumbled finally with his words, unsure how to go on from there, but ended up on the truth which as he said it, sounded so unfair but Ilia had the right to hear it. "I thought if I tried to go back to my life in Ordon that I could forget how to be hero, that if I kissed you like how I used to dream about, that I wouldn't want to fight but, I know if I stay here I would be living a lie. Ilia, I tried, for you, I tried but..."

Any other words Link could think of he knew would only hurt her more, make her cry, and make him look more like a selfish ass and he didn't know how to apologize or make her understand, though he knew that he had no right to try to make her. Hell, Link wouldn't blame Ilia if she never wanted to speak or see him again after this. The boy was saved from speaking when Ilia suddenly planted a soft kiss upon his lips, much to his surprise.

"Wherever you go, Link, know that to me you will always be my hero and my best friend and for that reason alone, I will always love you. I just… hope that you won't totally forget me or your old life when you leave."

Her words were breathed upon his lips lightly and delicately, but they struck his heart like arrows and Link felt like she was banishing him. Before he could respond or stop her, Ilia stood from his lap and made her way towards the door. "Ilia!" Link called, causing her to pause though she didn't look back and after a moment Link said in a low tone, "I'm sorry. I… "

She did not allow his to finish as he was cut off by the slam of his door and Link did not go after her. Instead, Link sat there facing his hearth, the taste of Ilia's tears still on his lips, with a growing sense of restlessness within his chest. It felt as though a curtain had been pulled away from his mind and with it a number of questions that had remained unanswered disappeared and it became clear to Link of what he must do from then on and what path he must take.

In the morning, Link would say his farewells and leave Ordon to set out once again in the wide world to begin his life as a hero of Hyrule and discover the reason why he had just broken Ilia's heart.


	2. Chapter Two: Time

The creaks and groans of the rope bridge over the chasm that marked the border of Ordon heralded the departure of Link, who hung his head in thought and let Epona find her own pace. The morning was clear and bright, though clouds in the distance whispered rain into the breeze. Link would have liked to have left an hour earlier but he had been… held up. Adjusting his seat as his mare crossed the threshold of the bridge onto the stone of the path of the other side, the Hylian cast a glance back towards the way he came, towards Ordon, and he furrowed his brow slightly at what had just taken place minutes before.

After Ilia had left him, Link had sat before his burning hearth well into the night, having forgotten his intention of a supper and his thoughts were too loud for him to even try to think about sleep. Instead, he sat there, occasionally poking at the flames, and weighed his options. He couldn't stay in Ordon any longer, what had happened in Ilia had made that clear. At the same time, however, Link wanted to make sure that if he in fact left that he wouldn't be doing so just because he had made things majorly awkward between them. The teenager did not want to stay simply because the village was where he'd grown up and was familiar. Many times during the night, Link found his eyes gazing around his home, watching the fire's shadows flicked across the walls and memories of his parents peeked into his mind.

Being eighteen now, his birthday having been a couple of months ago, meant that it had been over eleven years since Link's parents died, leaving him an orphan at the young age of seven. Thankfully Link hadn't witnessed his parents' death, but often he thought that having to wait for them to return home was worse. They never did, well they did eventually, but Link wasn't even allowed to see their faces one last time because of their caskets. The boy had been told what had happened, that they had drowned while returning from a delivery trip of Ordon Goat Cheese. Link and his family had actually owned Ordon Ranch and Fado had simply been a farmhand at that time. When the boy's parent's died, Fado had bought the ranch to continue the business. No one is sure exactly what happened. The bodies of the couple had been found floating in Lake Hylia by the Zora and whether foul play had been involved or not has never resolved. There had been just too little evidence and no motive.

Their wagon was unmolested, no money nor goods taken, nor the family's old grey gelding stolen, so no investigation took place and Link had to bury his parents with no answers to his questions. After the funeral, Link hated his house, which had been all his life so warm and so safe, for it had suddenly turned cold and far too large. Thankfully he hadn't needed to worry about being alone in that house for long because Rusl, a long-time friend of Link's father, had invited the orphaned boy into his home and would not take no as an answer. At first, as was expected, Link had retreated into himself, angry at the world, but slowly Rusl was able to take him under his wing. The man introduced the boy to the practice and study of swordsmanship. The focus required from the teachings was what the distraught boy had needed, it distracted his grieving, and rather than brood Link divided his time to practicing with his wooden sword and helping Fado at the ranch.

For three years Link lived with Rusl and during that time, he didn't return to his home once. The boy learned how to be happy again and live without his parents thanks to Rusl and the support of the entire village. When Link was ten, just when it seemed to him that his life had perhaps returned to normal, everything changed once again. Uli, Rusl's wife, became pregnant, a joyous occasion without a doubt, but the prospect of a baby in the household brought Link into perspective that he needed to leave. Uli herself tried to reason with him, she had always been so kind to him, but Link had made up his mind and right before Colin was born, he returned to his family's home on the outskirts of the village.

Link had expected to be met with cobwebs and mounds of dust, but when he had finally ascended the ladder and entered the doorway, he found the house spotless much to his surprise. As it seemed, Rusl had taken it upon himself to see that his friend's home was clean and maintained, as if he had known that one day Link would need his home back when he was ready. Being back in his own home had been difficult at first, the lonely nights weighing heavily at first, but the Hylian boy grew and steadily the darkness turned from frightening to comforting. Rusl still looked out for him of course, even helping Link buy a yearling filly when he was fourteen and his old grey gelding passed away. That horse Link had tamed and trained himself and now he trusted his life with her to carry him even against the most formidable foes.

Link knew that he owed Rusl a lot and sitting aside his hearth he came to realize that he needed to tell the man as much. However, having never been a conversation enthusiast, in the midst of the night Link gathered some paper and set his quill in ink to express the words. He wrote of his gratitude, of his adventures with Midna, his reasons for leaving, and at the end of his lengthy letters he left an inheritance. It seemed only fitting, in Link's eyes anyway, that since he was leaving and had no knowledge when he would return, that if he wanted it Colin could have his home. The younger boy was the closest person Link had to a brother and it just felt right to him knowing that just in case he never came back, that he could give Colin something that meant a lot to him and the home where he had lived with his parents was just that.

Only when Link finished his series of letters did he manage to get some rest. After a few hours did daybreak wake him and roused his excitement, sending him bounding from his blankets. After months of being shut away, Link descended into his cellar to open the chest that bellied his own inheritance of heroism. Bringing the contents upstairs and into the morning light, with reminiscence and a snarky giggle in his mind, Link once again donned the garments of a hero. He shouldered his shield and hung the elaborate, though empty, scabbard upon his back, choosing rather to hang his Hylian blade at his right hip. Lastly, Link pulled on his green hat and while adjusting his gauntlets, the man felt whole for the first time in months. It hadn't occurred to him exactly how much he had been feeling that something was missing, that there was a piece of him gone, but being back in the Hero's Clothes the Hylian felt as though he could breath just a bit easier.

Eating a quick morning meal, Link wasted no time in gathering together supplies, saddled Epona, and began to pack his saddlebags. Entering his home to grab a few more items, the man was on his way out when he paused to gaze around the house, to take it all in. He didn't know when or even if he'd ever seen the place again but after a moment or two he turned his back on the space, exited the door, and locked it behind him. He went back over to Epona, too preoccupied with slipping his house key into the envelope addressed to Rusl to notice when eyes came upon him. Thanks mainly to Epona's nicker and the growing sound of talking, did Link turn to see Rusl, Colin, and hell, the entire village ascend the small hill to his house. Feeling a blush in his cheeks and absentmindedly reaching up to adjust his hat, Link took up his mare's reigns and lead her forward to meet his friends, who all had eyes on him.

"Were you just going to leave without saying goodbye?" Rusl asked with an arch of his brow, a small smile on his lips.

"Ah, no! Of course not… I was going to come and do just that right away, when I finished packing." Link's words came with a smile in return, a tone of bashfulness to accompany, and he hoped that Rusl wouldn't comment on how they both knew that him saying farewell might not have happened.

The next hour was filled with hugs, wishes of luck, and complaints and whines that he stay. The complaints came mainly from the children for the adults seemed to understand his decision to leave. Still, everyone was offering Link smiles with words of encouragement, though there were some tears shed but it was a tender sadness. In fact, there was not an expression of resentment or anger in the crowd, though Link understood why Ilia wouldn't want to be there. It still hurt that he wouldn't see her after last night, but he thought it would be a bad idea to go and find her. His main indication of this was when he happened to ask her father about where she was and Mayer Bo just shrugged and shook his head, casting Link a questioning eye but said no more on the matter.

Eventually Link was able to lead Epona towards Ordon Spring and gave the Ordonians one final wave, only coming forward to formally shake Rusl's hand and give him the letters with the key. Giving the man a hug, Link told him, "Thank-you," one more time before stepping away. Mounting his horse, Link gave no more waves and spurred his mare into a happy trot in the wake of farewells and cheers. As he rode from sight, Link's mind became heavy with thoughts and by the time he came to the rope bridge, his smile was gone. When he turned back to look one last time, his brow furrowed in thought, Link blinked to see a lone figure standing there watching him by the entrance of the spring. Before he could reign in Epona or do anything really, Ilia turned her back on him and disappeared from sight and Link left the Ordona Province.

The growing humidity soon gave birth to whispering mists among the trees of Faron Woods and the onslaught of rain drew closer with each step Epona took. Link lightly guided her down the paths, his left hand flexed in preparation to draw the sword at his hip in case any monster dare threaten his horse. Aside from a crow that slightly spooked his mount the ride proceeded without conflict. He continued at a leisurely pace that in no way at all reflected his desire to surge onwards, but Link recognized the need to go slow because he still had not completely decided on where he was headed. Was that responsible? Perhaps not, but Link would admit that by simply being back on the move made him feel much better. That in itself said a lot he thought anyway.

Soon enough Link found himself at a crossroads and he allowed Epona to naturally head towards where Coro lived with his wares. The silver bay suddenly came to a halt before the gate that lead to Faron Swamp. Head held high and ears perked forward, the mare snorted towards the direction of the cave and stamped her hoof in restlessness; it was enough to shake Link from his mind and he frowned.

"Epona? What's the matter?"

Following his mare's line of sight, the Hylian stared towards the gate knowing full-well what lay beyond there but was confused as to why his horse was on alert. Obviously she could hear or sense something he could not and that was enough for him to reach over and draw his Hylian blade. The gate and entrance of the cave looked no different then when he had last seen them, when he had come through them to replace the Master Sword. As soon as he thought of the legendary blade did a breeze blow directly from the cave to brush against his bangs and ears, and Link heard a word among the winds.

_Link…_

Epona whinnied and danced in place, snorting in warning and anticipation, and Link quickly dismounted with a back flip off her. Grunting from the impact from not having done that maneuver in a while, he advanced forwards towards the gate.

"I'll be right back, girl," he muttered to his horse, who kept her eyes and ears upon the cave.

Removing his shield from his back, Link proceeded forward with caution, expression focused but there lay a gleam of delight in his eyes to be back in the fray and his grip upon his sword twitched with keenness. Walking through the gate, the hero stopped before the cave and second-guessed himself, wondering if it had just in fact been the wind he had heard and that he should just keep going towards Hyrule Field. Around him the trees groaned as the wind picked up from the approaching storm and shifted direction, sending a draft from behind the man with a high whistle as it blew through the cave.

_Link…_

"The wind's pulling me in," he thought aloud, before a smirk spread his lips and he walked forward.

Inside the cave was nothing out of the usual and having traversed it so many times, Link didn't even need to light his lantern and was in no time exiting the cavern into Faron Swamp. Wrinkling his nose at the poisonous gases that hung on the lower ground, a gift left from the Twilight, a surveillance of his surroundings announced that nothing seemed to be out of place or different. Walking forward, Link came to the ledge that made his legs tighten, having many times before leapt across those gases as a wolf and the eighteen-year-old frowned when he found that he had the urge to get down on all fours and jump.

_Link…_

"This was a lot easier with Midna and we could warp places…" he said with a sigh when once again he heard his name on the wind, beckoning him forward. "I really hope there isn't just some bird calling my name and leading me around in circles on a wild-Cucco chase," he finished with a grumble before lighting his lantern and plunging into the gases.

/ / / / /

By the time Link finally entered North Faron Woods, the rain was beginning to sputter and drip down from the high treetops and the hero knew that he couldn't remain too long out there and leave Epona by herself. The rain had never bothered him and more than once while in Ordon he would go out for walks in the rain to think and listen to the thunder. He found it soothing, relaxing, but in the past few months the rain also brought back memories and images of a looming castle shrouded in mist with low hanging, grey clouds hiding its high peaks. Most people found the rain to be sad but Link had always seen it as beautiful, a sign of nature replenishing itself. Taking a deep breath of the cool, rainy air Link started forward but only made it a few feet before he stopped.

"Now what?" he asked… the wind? Himself? Who knew at that point, but he really didn't have a clue what he was doing out there.

Rolling his eyes, Link slid his sword back into its sheath, replaced his Hylian shield on his back, and stretched his arms with a slight grunt. Before him lay two routes, one easy the other… slightly more difficult. The Forest Temple lay at the end of a winding path within a massive tree, but Link could think of no reason of why he would need to re-enter that temple since he had already conquered it; thus, it was the easier route. Coming to the place where he had first met the Golden Wolf, Link scrutinized the gigantic tree of the temple before looking over to the obscure path that lead to a depth of the woods that few had ever entered.

"I wonder…"

Retrieving the pair of Clawshots from one of his magical pouches that seemed to be able to hold near anything, Link ascended the great stump at the side of the path that lead to the temple. Glancing at the mechanisms on his hands, Link frowned slightly before looking out across the set of natural platforms that he knew he could use to cross the Deep Gorge. In the past, he had crossed the abyss as a wolf and then used Rusl's Golden Cucco, but seeing as neither was accessible at the moment the Clawshots were all Link had at his disposal. He knew he could get across, he had just done it five months ago, but aside from retrieving the Master Sword he could not think why he would need to reach the Sacred Grove again. Queen Zelda had made a point of telling him to return the sword because, while Link personally felt entitled to the blade seeing as how only he could wield it, the legendary sword was not his to own.

_Link…_

The hero narrowed his eyes in annoyance, raised his left arm to aim, and then fired. Minutes later, Link landed on solid ground with the Deep Gorge at his back and continued onward. The further he walked, the more Link recalled memories of his adventures. Retracing his steps, he recalled walking past that spring as a wolf, battling against the Skull Kid with Midna, and followed his memory until he slid down a slope to enter what was known as the Sacred Grove. True to its name, the wood had a clean air about it and seemed to never lose its brilliant and bright green canopy. Passing parts of the ruins of the Temple of Time, Link idly slid his fingers across the ancient stones. Crossing his arms, Link let his eyes wonder to the ruined stairwell, the Door of Time, and he came to a stop before the symbol of the Triforce on the floor in the main chamber of the temple.

Tracing the triangles with his eyes, Link stared thoughtfully at the symbol, trying hard not to glance at the back of his left hand, and in a whisper he said, "What must I do now?"

A howl jolted him from his thoughts and upon instinct, the Hylian back flipped and simultaneously drew his blade to land in a defensive crouch before retrieving his shied. The howl had been close and its echo momentarily filled the ruins with a voice and Link bit his tongue at the urge to howl in response. Grimacing and shaking his head, he muttered over and over in his head that he was human, no longer a wolf, and for all he knew it could be a Wolfos. Even if he had yet to actually see one in Faron Woods, Link did not want to give out his position to any beast by howling like a moron. Well, one thing he knew for sure: the howl had come from beyond the main body of the temple in the chamber of the Master Sword. Rage coaxed a deep growl from Link's sneer at the thought that a Wolfos might be in the sacred chamber and he propelled himself forward. Ascending the stairs two at a time, Link burst into the sacred grove with his sword at the ready, prepared for a sudden attack or ambush, with an expression and entire body focused for battle.

What sat waiting for him Link had not anticipated nor expected at all and it caught him completely off guard. The hero faltered in his footing, tried to regain his balance, but crashed headfirst onto the ground with his sword skittering away.

"Oh, fuck me…" Link cursed with a groan, shifting onto his knees and held his head in his hands, his hat slipping off the ground.

A rumble of growls echoed in the overgrown chamber and Link looked up in irritation and embarrassment at the Golden Wolf that sat calmly on the other side of the Master Sword. Even if Link hadn't been a wolf before, he would have recognized that his ancient mentor was laughing at him. Link couldn't blame him, he would have laughed at himself too if he wasn't so embarrassed and irritated, or if his head didn't hurt as much as it did. Standing without trying to flinch, Link shook his head and dusted himself off before grabbing his hat to jam it back onto his head; he made a point not to look at the ethereal wolf. Presentable once again Link met the eyes, or rather eye, of the shining beast and the young man raised a brow and opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, unsure.

"Yeah, yeah, ha ha... Let's all laugh at Link. Did you seriously bring me all the way here just to... Wait, hold on. I thought… I thought that you were, you know, done?" Link narrowed his eyes, thinking back to the last time he had spoken to his mentor as he went to go collect his sword. "That your regrets had been resolved and-"

The Golden Wolf suddenly began to growl, cutting Link off, and the teenager froze with his fingers inches away from the hilt of the Hylian sword lying on the ground. For a second, there appeared the possibly whether this wolf was truly the Golden Wolf, or Link had just willingly walked into a trap; as if he had read the Hylian's thoughts, the Golden Wolf shook its head and snapped its jaws before resuming his growls. Grinning, Link interpreted this to be the same as the last seven times the wolf had growled at him and took the sword in hand and stood at the ready, awaiting the wolf to come at him. The wolf's growls intensified and the beast's hackles stood on end but did not charge at Link like he had in the past. The young man actually took a step back at how menacing and threatening the Golden Wolf sounded and once more, the thought that this wasn't the true Golden Wolf popped into the hero's mind.

Frowning in confusion, Link opened his mouth to protest when the beast suddenly quieted and rose to trot the few feet forward until his nose was inches from the pommel of the Master Sword. The wolf's whine might as well have been words in Link's ears for the hero relaxed his pose and slowly slid the Hylian blade back into his sheath. Stepping forward he watched the wolf, which paralleled his movements and stepped back until it returned to its original spot. Each step Link took echoed against the stones, the storm sounding far off from within the Sacred Grove. His boots finally took him before the Pedestal of Time and the youth's blue eyes were fixated on the blade and its otherworldly shine of evil's bane.

His fingers twitched, a sign of his desire to once more grip the hilt of the blade and complete his arm's reach once again, but Link recalled his queen's words. He glanced at the Golden Wolf as if to ask permission and in reply, the wolf snapped its jaws to voice its impatience. Arching his brows a bit, Link looked down at the sword, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips that brightened his eyes with excitement and triumph.

"Okay... if you say so."

Standing firmly before the sword, the young hero placed both his hands on the sword's grip and, holding his breath, heaved the sword from the pedestal with ease; the blade of the sword sang as if to herald its welcome to being in Link's possession once again. Within seconds the Golden Wolf was upon him and Link was surrounded by a bright and blinding light before he fell into darkness.

The young man's breathing echoed around him and Link fluttered his eyelids open before finally finding enough consciousness to look up. In his hand, he firmly held the Master Sword and the young hero couldn't stop the wide smile from his expression. The moment was short lived, however, when he looked up to see the looming body of Hyrule Castle standing over him in the Ghostly Ether, as if Link once again stood in the front courtyard before the castle's grand doors. Blinking, Link slowly got to his feet and saw the Golden Wolf sitting before the castle door, its back to Link, and with a howl and a flash of light a figure replaced the wolf. Looking around, nothing seemed out of the ordinary as far as Link knew of the realm where he had previously been taught all of the Hidden Skills from his mentor, the Hero's Shade. At first, the teen noticed nothing different about the figure until he turned and faced the green-clad hero.

The Hero's Shade always appeared as a skeletal warrior in damaged and aged armour, with his one remaining eye glowing red but the figure that faced Link now was not the Hero's Shade, or so Link assumed. The warrior was taller than Link by a few inches, wore ornate armour that bore the insignia of the Hylian crest that was complete and undamaged, a billowing crimson cape hung from his shoulders and swept the ground behind him, and he held himself with the pride of either royalty or of a prestigious knight. When the man turned to face Link, the Hylian saw that the warrior carried with him a sword. The warrior began to walk towards Link and the Hylian raised his sword, his expression filled with distrust and wariness. This was... who was this? Where was his mentor? Was this a trap after all? Just as Link was about to demand who the knight was, his words stumbled in his throat and his blue eyes went wide when the figure came close enough that his features became clear.

The warrior or knight or whoever he was, looked almost exactly like Link and that was enough for him to drop his guard and take a step back. Their faces were nearly the same except for the jagged scar that dug down the man's right eye and while Link's hair was a light brown, the warrior's hair was a deep blond with his part dividing his bangs down the middle. The knight wore no helmet so his brilliant shade of blond hair shifted freely in a ghostly breeze, but his bangs did little to hide his left eye, which remained the ethereal red that identified him as the Hero's Shade.

"Link."

The warrior's voice sent a chill down Link's spine and he instantly recognized it as the same one who had been calling him from Faron Woods. The knight's was not the same voice as the Hero's Shade deep tone, so the teenager gave the knight an unsure look and shifted the Master Sword in his hand.

A small smile broke through the warrior's stony expression and he glanced down at the Master Sword and whispered, "Hello, old friend, it has been so very long," before looking up at Link to say, "Glad you could make it, though I must admit that I was surprised that you took as long as you did to come here. Five months has it been? I must admit, I didn't think you'd remain for more than a month in your little village."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you but keeping time has never been one of my strong points," Link replied, his sarcasm evident in his low tone and his eyes were narrowed dangerously.

"No, I expect it would not be." The knight's words seemed to trail and they seemed to hold some hidden meaning for he smiled a bit wider and glanced away for a moment, as if in thought.

"Who are you?" Link had had enough of playing around and glared at the knight, still disturbed that he looked so similar.

"What? Don't you know? You can't even guess?" The knight replied with an arch of his brow, to which Link only glared more in response. "I am the one who has passed onto you the teachings of your forbearer, your predecessor, the hero who in another time saved Hyrule from chaos and who you are descended from. I am the Hero's Shade, the Ancient Warrior, and, in a way, I am you."

"Right… If you're the Hero's Shade, then I'm a rabbit-"

Link's expression went from to annoyance to one that clearly read that he thought the knight had taken one too many blows to the head. He would have said more if the wind hadn't been suddenly knocked out of him. Stumbling backwards onto his backside from the unprovoked attack, he raised the Master Sword only on instinct and managed to meet the knight's downward slice with the metallic ring of the two blades meeting echoing through the stillness of the Ghostly Ether. Link ground his teeth at the sheer force the knight had inflicted with his strike, its strength had sent a painful jolt down his arm, and it required Link to use both hands to keep the knight's blade at bay.

Speaking of which, the Hero's Shade stared down at Link from behind his blade, seemingly unaffected from the strength he was exerting, with an expression of what very much looked like annoyance. Link couldn't help getting the feeling that was similar to how he felt when his father had caught him riding the goats, like he was in trouble.

"Mind your tongue and manners, young hero, for only with respect can a hero wield the Master Sword."

"Oh, yeah? That's funny because I thought that… that you just needed to be the Hero Chosen by the Gods." Link's words were strained and his anger ran thick with defiance and he smirked when he saw the Shade's eye twitch.

"Indeed, you are correct."

Link barely registered what exactly hit him when suddenly pain exploded in his face and he cried out, grimacing. The knight expertly flicked his sword, Link lost his grip, and the Master Sword was flung into the air. Clutching his bleeding nose, the Hylian watched in growing horror when the knight deftly changed hands on his sword to easily catch the Blade of Evil's Bane in his left and... nothing happened. The Master Sword did not reject him but rather, its power continued to sing peacefully, perhaps slightly brighter even, as if excited.

"I can only assume that the Light Spirits failed to mention that the Master Sword has a spirit, thus how it is able to recognize a hero worthy to wield it, but it also has memories and… it would seem that it remembers me. I was so afraid that it would not..."

Link watched with wide eyes at the Shade spoke tenderly to the shining sword in his hand, as if he was talking to a companion he had not seen in forever and was fearful that if he spoke too loud that the sword would disappear or something. The warrior slid his fingers across the length of the blade and there was such an expression of sadness in his face that Link was taken aback. Still, as distracted as Link was with the fact that Hero's Shade could actually hold the sword, it meant that he only heard a bit of what the knight actually said.

"Who are you?" he asked once again, his tone less demanding and more cautious curiosity, though now his question meant so much more.

"As I said already," the knight spoke, looking back at Link from the sword in his hand, "that I go by many names but there once was a time that I went by another, though that time has been forgotten in more ways than one."

"What do you mean by '_forgotten_', exactly?" Link was really starting to get tired of all the riddles. "Why can't you jsut tell me your name?"

The Hero's Shade impaled the ground with his regular sword, making Link flinch away, to leave only the Master Sword in his grip. Kneeling down to meet Link's eye level, the knight with his one red eye held the sword across both his palms and said, "Once I was called the Hero of Time, but this was long, long ago and my story has been lost to all except myself, the Master Sword, and the goddesses. Link, this will be the first and only telling of my story, so please pay attention."

"But-"

"Hey! Listen..."

The knight gave Link a look that demanded silence and once again, the Hylian felt like he was being talked to by his father and furrowed his brow in annoyed obligation while the knight began his story.

"Long ago, in another age of Hyrule, a full decade had yet to pass since the end of the Hyrulean Civil War and I had been a boy living among the Kokiri, a tribe of children with fairies who never aged. Life had been peaceful enough, but then there came a great darkness to Hyrule that threatened the balance of light and dark and a series of events brought me before this very blade. When I withdrew it from its pedestal, I became sealed in a place known as the Sacred Realm for seven years, for while I had been worthy to wield blade, I had neither the age nor strength to be the hero Hyrule needed. It was within the Sacred Realm that the evil king of the Gerudo, Ganondorf, took hold of the Triforce and it divided into three parts with the king taking hold of the Triforce of Power and subsequently conquered the Sacred Realm. For seven years I remained, unaware of the passage of time, until I awoke as an adult with the Master Sword and Ocarina of Time, an instrument able to control time, in my possession. It was at that moment that I had become known as the Hero of Time. Under Ganondorf, Hyrule had fallen into ruin and chaos but as the Hero of Time, I was able to defeat the evil king. Ganondorf was sealed away and I retuned the Master Sword to the Pedestal of Time and was sent back to my childhood.

"I sought out the princess of Hyrule and informed her of the threat that was Ganondorf and that the Master Sword could never be removed from its pedestal, thus averting time from repeating itself. However, I still retained all of my memories of travelling through time, of being an adult, and all the experiences I had been through, but I was the only one who recalled that timeline. The only other being that had any knowledge of what had happened in the future left me without explanation and I left Hyrule to try and find her, but I never did. Her name was... Navi and even to this day, I have no knowledge of what truly became of her. I traveled far, saw and saved different lands, but I failed in my quest. You see, Link, I was the Hero of Time but at the same time, I wasn't anymore and as more time passed, I became angry and depressed that no one would know what I done for Hyrule. Even if I told anyone, it would not have been the same. So in my anger I decided to stay away from Hyrule and for years I grew from the land that I had risked my life to save.

"In many ways I still felt like an adult when I had been sent back in time and I saw it as cruel to being forced to live in a child's body. I saw it as a curse to be able grow up naturally even though I had skills people far older then I had. Looking back on it now, I know that I had acted like the child I was by staying away from Hyrule, pouting and nursing a sense of betrayal and hurt. Being a hero, Link, means that you must be ready to lay your life on the line for what is right no matter the cost, because as a hero you have the courage to make the hardest decisions when no one else can. I was blinded to this knowledge until I was well into adulthood and I finally returned to Hyrule. I dedicated myself to becoming a knight to protect my country, her people, and her monarchy. I became famed for my swordsmanship and I died as a man defending the royal family in honour, but also as a man weighed down by regrets. It was these regrets that trapped my soul from passing on after my death. You must understand, Link, that as punishment for not accepting the role I had played as the Hero of Time, for not being grateful of the power the goddesses had bestowed upon me while I had been their hero, and for regretting not being able to pass along my skills or story, I was transformed into the form you have known me until now, a shade of the hero I once was. Still, the goddesses took mercy upon me and promised that when my successor appeared to once more save Hyrule from the threat of darkness, I would be able to pass along the skills that I had learned as the Hero of Time.

The Hero's Shade, now standing before Link, paused in his story with an expression of distant sadness and age. He reached up to gently touch the scar that had blinded his eye before saying, "I was a man who placed his desires and needs before the roles of a hero and for that reason, I had lost my courage. Link, you bear the Triforce of Courage, which once I embodied as well. I must advise you to never lose your valour and to bear the mark with pride."

Link, wide-eyed and dumbstruck, blinked at the older man, his nose painless and blood gone. The teen realized that the knight couldn't be much older than twenty-five, thirty at most, which was pretty young, though his story and words bore a wisdom that held the weight of millennia. Licking his lips and finally standing up, the teenager puffed out his cheeks and tried to wrap his head around the knight's story but it was a lot to take in. Link tried to imagine what it must feel like or if it happened to him, if one day everyone in Hyrule forgot about his exploits as a hero. He tried to tell himself that he probably could put up with it, that it wouldn't be that difficult, but then he remembered how difficult the last few months had been and also considered the fact that the knight was turned back into a child.

Even though Link was eighteen he knew that he had a lot to learn and was just on the brink of adulthood and the knight being trapped for seven years meant that he would have been around the same age as Link is now when he was the Hero of Time. Link had beaten Ganondorf but was it the same Ganondorf? What other dangers had the Hero of Time faced? And...

Shaking away the dizzying thoughts from his mind, Link realized with a frown that he couldn't possibly fathom what it must have been like for the knight.

"But…" Link finally said, pausing to furrow his brows and look up at his predecessor with confusion and slight pity, "What are you doing here then? Haven't you been freed from your regrets? Did I do something wrong? Did-"

"Steady there now, Link," the knight said with a small grin, taking his right hand to lay it firmly on the teen's shoulder to calm the youth down. "I ask you not you take worry about me, though I appreciate it nonetheless. I have made my mistakes, as I am sure you will make some in the future, but you cannot linger in the past but you can learn from it. That is what I am, your past, and I am here now to bestow unto you one final lesson to help you in your future."

Gently squeezing the younger man's shoulder, the knight stepped away from Link before tossing the Master Sword at him, which Link caught with ease. Drawing his own sword from the ground, the Hero's Shade took a stance facing his successor.

"It is true that when I passed onto you the last of the Hidden Skills, I was able to ascend into the Realm of Spirits, which is where I myself learned from my own past. I have returned now to face you, Link, Hero Chosen by the Gods, to inform you that by defeating the great evil that threatened Hyrule you have become worthy to inherit a sacred technique that has long since been forgotten by time. Do you feel ready to earn the last and ultimate hidden skill to steel yourself for the forthcoming battles against more powerful foes?"

"I do."

"Very well. The ultimate hidden skill is… the Skyward Strike! Let it be hewn into your mind!"

/ / / / /

Sliding the Master Sword into its sheath on his back, Link was grinning widely and panting heavily. Not only did the Hero's Shade teach him the lost technique, but his mentor also saw to it that Link prove to him all of his skills with advanced swordplay as well. Now, he had learnt the Skyward Strike, a powerful technique that charged the Master Sword so that a powerful wave of sacred energy could be released. The final attack affected the other Hidden Skills Link had learnt, meaning he could charge the Master Sword by pointing it skywards and make his other techniques more effective and deadly. Feeling triumphant and empowered, Link clapped his hands together and looked over at his mentor, ready to dive into questions. He paused though when he saw the other staring up at the grandness of Hyrule Castle as it stood shrouded in the ethereal mists of the Ghostly Ether. Frowning, Link came to stand beside the other and tried to meet the knight's eye but alas, he found himself on the warrior's blindside.

"You have grown into a strong warrior and fine young man, Link. I wanted to tell you how proud I am of you and to… thank you." Turning to face the teenager, the Hero's Shade's expression was gentle and full of pride. Once again he laid his hand on Link's shoulder before continuing to speak, "I have been watching you all your life, waiting for the right moment when your destiny would summon you to become the hero you were born to be. Listen to me Link, since this will be the last time I will be able to speak to you until you join me in the Realm of Spirits, but I wanted to talk to you about your parents."

Link cringed at the mention of his family but he dared not looking away from the knight's eye. Was the knight about to tell him what had happened to them? Did he know? Trying to stay collected and strong, Link ignored that behind his blue eyes he swore that he could feel the prickle of tears.

"Your parents loved you very much and while I can understand that you miss them and want closure for their deaths, take solace with the fact that you knew them at all and be thankful for their love."

Link frowned heavily and then looked away slightly disappointed, like a child trying to hide his pout. The Hero's Shade only chuckled gently and in a more thoughtful tone said, "I never knew my parents at all, not even what they looked liked or their names. All I know is that my mother loved me enough to risk her life to get me to safety and for that, I am thankful to her." Squeezing Link's shoulder to coax the youth to look back at him, the knight offered a comforting smile and said, "I never had a family of my own and you are only my spiritual successor but I consider you to be my family not only as my heir, but as a son and…" he knight paused to chuckle slightly, his eye moving to Link's green tunic that he gently thumbed, "Besides, you fit these clothes better then I ever did, though I do admit that you have some growing up to do so you better eat well."

Choking out a laugh, Link smiled through the tears welling in his eyes as he looked up at the knight, noting that the Hero's Shade certainly did look similar to his father but more resembled Link himself. He also realized that this was indeed the last time he would be able to talk to the knight and now that he had heard his story, learned his identity, Link was sad that this would be the end. On impulse, Link suddenly gripped the knight in a fierce hug, leaning his forehead on the man's armour, and it only took a second for the Hero's Shade to return the embrace.

The Hero of Time looked sorrowfully over the younger man's shoulder and a single tear fell from his red-shaded eye that lifted from his cheek and dissipated into a mist. He would miss the boy, the son he never had. A bright light enveloped them both as Link's own tears began to fall and he squeezed his eyes tightly and pressed his face into his successor's armoured chest.

When the light dissipated, Link was afraid to open his eyes because he was sure that when he did, the Hero's Shade would be gone and that would be that. Taking courage as the Shade had told him, the young man opened his eyes to blink in surprise for once again he stood in the Temple of Time but rather than ruins, the temple was whole and resonated with power. Link had been in the temple's past before so it wasn't seeing the intact building that surprised him, but it was more the fact that it felt different now, more real almost.

"Wha-"

"I told you, Link, that once I was the Hero of Time. So, is it not appropriate that I end my journey where it truly began?"

Link swung around to see the Hero's Shade standing in front of the doorway that lead to the chamber of the Pedestal of Time. "You mean that we're-"

"In the past? Well of course. If you dared to leave the temple rather than see me off, you would find yourself in a very unfamiliar place I'm sure."

Quickly wiping away his tears, Link rushed forward to skid to a stop before his mentor, panic in his face that the Hero's Shade was leaving for good, but he tried to keep on a smile.

"Now there's a hero, to have the courage to smile when it seems the most hard."

The knight then smiled wide and in the moment he strikingly looked like Link and the younger man couldn't help but grin widely back. The Hero's Shade had taught Link more with this final lesson then the young hero could have possibly understood in that moment, but exactly how much he would realize with time. When he saw the knight's smile soften and he began to turn to leave, Link rushed forward to catch his arm.

"Wait, I…" he started, blinking and thinking fast. He had so many questions, so much to say, but he had never been very good at talking, especially not when he was panicking, but-

"Link, you have mastered all of the hidden skills and I taught you all that I know and more but permit me to bestow one last piece of advice to you." The knight faced him once again, lowering his posture a bit to properly look Link in his eye and he smiled; slowly, his red eye was beginning to change in colour Link noticed.

"Remember what I said about your courage, that you must make the hard decisions for what is right even if they go against your desires. I admit to you that I was in love once though, I hadn't realized it until I was too late," the knight held up a hand when Link began to ask something, the knight's smile softening even more as he sighed. "But as I was forgotten as a hero, she forgot also that I had searched for her and saved her. With time, I dedicated my life to protect her even though I knew she would never, could never... return my affections. My advice to you Link is… If you find love, a love so strong that you would do anything to see her happy even if it meant that you leave her, you may be faced with the decision to tell her the truth of your feelings or not. While there may be consequences for either choice, know this… I still wish that I could have told her, looking back on it now, just so that she knew the truth even if it made no difference." Looking up over Link's shoulder, the Hero of Time's gaze softened and he gave the Temple of Time one final sweep before looking back to Link. "The truth is one of the most powerful forces there is, Link. Remember that."

The knight winked at his successor and patted his shoulder, though now his eye shined with a shade of pure blue. Link in that moment truly felt a connection between them, almost as if they shared the same spirit, and unbeknownst to him the Triforce on his hand began to glow. The Hero of Time began to step back from Link as a light began to build behind him until it was nearly blinding, forcing Link to lift his left arm to shield his eyes. Just when he could just barely see the Hero's Shade silhouette against the light did Link manage to shout, "But… what is your name?!"

"What? Don't you know?" The Hero of Time repeated his earlier words and he began to laugh. "Link! Go on and do not falter! Farewell, my son."

In a brilliant flash the knight, the Hero of Time, and the Temple of Time disappeared. When Link was finally able to uncover his eyes he found himself in the Sacred Grove once again, alone. The hero's eyes caught the image of the Triforce upon the back of his left hand just before it vanished and he lowered his arm. With the Master Sword upon his back and a heavy heart, Link turned his face towards the sky and allowed the tears on his face be washed away by the falling rain.


	3. Chapter Three: Pledge

The rain was coming down as heavy as the thoughts within the rider's mind. Behind him lay the shelter of Faron Woods and as he rode on, he and his mount were exposed to the growing winds and falling rain. Link urged Epona on through the approaching storm, her hooves splashing through puddles littering the path as her master kept the mare at a swift though steady pace. Squinting against the strengthening wind, Link kept his heading on a northerly route, directed for Castle Town's South Gate and main entrance. If it hadn't been raining like it was, he would have preferred entering the usually bustling town from the West Gate, which is where the stables were located. Shelter was Link's main priority because him riding out in the middle of a vast field during a lightning storm was far from smart. Kicking Epona into a slow gallop, he directed her towards the border of rock that marked the northern edge of the field.

It was Link's own fault that he and his mount were caught out in the storm, for he had taken too long getting out of Faron Woods and the storm had come in quicker than he had anticipated. After his final meeting with the Hero's Shade, Link had just stood there in the Sacred Grove for a good fifteen minutes, letting the falling rain to soak his tunic, while he sorted through his thoughts and tried to collect himself from the surprisingly emotional ordeal. He went over all of what the Hero of Time had told him, his story and his advice, yet Link struggled to make sense of most of it. The whole time-travelling and being-forgotten-about-completely stuff were difficult concepts to comprehend and the knight's final piece of advice about love and truth had rattled Link. The thought that he might never see the Hero of Time again made Link considerably sad and the ache in his chest felt similar to when he had lost his parents. Funny how things work out like that, how you don't realize what you have until it's gone, and Link knew that he would miss his mentor greatly. When he finally decided to leave the ruins, the Hylian weighed the Shade's words of love and tested them to see if they applied to his situation with Ilia.

Technically, he had told her that he loved her, just not to the extent that she seemed to feel for him and if he was truly honest with himself, Link knew that he loved Ilia as a dear friend. Climbing out of the Sacred Grove and making his way down the forested path back towards the Deep Gorge, Link frowned when he recalled the expression of heartache and loss that he had seen on the Hero of Time's face when the knight mentioned his love that never was meant to be. What stories the Hero of Time could tell, if only there had been time for Link to hear them all, to get to know his spiritual ancestor even more and to know what he had experienced. Walking, Link silently hoped that he would never have to experience that sort of heartache, such feelings of loss from not being recognized for his achievements, forgotten, and unrequited love. Actually, if was difficult for the eighteen-year-old to think of any woman that he could get so close to that would understand what he had been through and with whom he could relate with being a hero. Besides Ilia, who else in Hyrule was there? Link didn't want to think himself as choosy or biased or anything but… Most men his age were already marriage or at least courting a girl yet here Link was, considering a life without love simply due to the fact that he was a hero and perhaps that meant a life of being alone.

"Ugh! Stop thinking about it!" he exclaimed in a huff, shaking his head and picking up his pace. Now was not the time to be thinking of such things.

Link had more important things to think about than love or girls or anything of the sort, like getting back to his horse and getting back on the road. Thunder rumbled in the distance just as the hero reached the Deep Gorge and the rain was becoming heavier and he still had to make his way back through Faron Swamp and the cave. By the time Link finally jogged out from the entrance of the cave, he found Epona restlessly stomping her hooves, shaking her head, and standing beneath a nearby tree to escape the increasing downpour.

"Hey, girl, sorry for being late…" Link muttered, coming up to the mare and greeted her with a kiss to her nose.

Mounting quickly, Link took the reigns and nudged the horse into motion and she took off into an eager trot, obviously wanting to get moving having picked up her rider's sense of excitement to travel. If he actually thought about it, Link hadn't been gone for that long because, even though he had probably been with the Hero's Shade for a few hours, with their talking and training, being in the Ghostly Ether was different than the real world.

"Like no time passed at all…"

Frowning at his own words and recalling the entire Hero of Time's story, the young man shivered at the realization that their training sessions had always been instantaneous in relation to time in Hyrule. For example, Midna had never said anything to Link about him disappearing, only that he fainted like a girl sometimes but that was it. Even if she had asked, Link always found that if he wanted to talk to her about the Hero's Shade, his words always stuck and a voice always told him to remain quiet, as if his training sessions with the ancient knight were to remain a secret. Even so, he had still dawdled in returning and with a storm on its way and him still not having a clear idea as to where he was headed, Link mentally kicked himself and had no one to blame for becoming soaked but himself.

Castle Town as a destination just sort of seemed the most logical. It was the closest and first place Link thought of as he left Faron Province, hence his current course. Making his way down the trail, walls of rock on either side of him, Link allowed Epona to find her own footing and didn't want to push her too fast in case she slipped in the mud. The silver lining of being caught in the storm was with the rain came fog and haze, which aided in cloaking Link from any monsters from seeing him; though, with how he was feeling, lobbing off a few Bulblin heads might make him feel better. The low cloud cover also had blocked his view of Hyrule Castle even when he first had entered Hyrule Field and perhaps that was for the best. The Hylian man just felt low and was deep within his thoughts, though however he was feeling was by far better than how he was back in Ordon. In a sense, the grey, rainy weather matched his mood pretty well.

During his final battle against the evil king, Ganondorf, Link had been in the eastern portion of Hyrule Field, upon Epona and with the Princess Zelda, having being transported there from the castle by Midna for their own safety. He and the princess watched as a grand explosion erupted from the throne room of the castle. When Ganondorf himself appeared following the explosion upon a black steed, Midna had seemingly been defeated and Link thought her dead and the castle completely destroyed. It happened to be that he was wrong on both accounts: Midna turned out to be fine and was once again in her original form, as a rather attractive and tall princess since Ganondorf was defeated himself, and the castle had remained standing, though had suffered major damages. Link knew that when he had left Hyrule Town five months ago, Princess Zelda had already begun discussions with masons and Gorons to begin construction on the castle but because of the rain, Link wouldn't be able to see their progress until he actually entered the town.

Rounding the last corner, Link was suddenly faced with the grandeur of the main stairs and wall front of Castle Town nestled on the other side of the castle's moat. Nimbly, Link directed his horse up the ramps before dismounting, to lead her across the drawbridge. The two heavyset doors of the South Gate were closed but upon his arrival, a lone soldier appeared and opened a side to allow Link and his horse to quickly enter the town. Nodding his thanks at the man, Link wasted no time to lead his mare down the empty streets. Lining the streets Link could make out the light from within windows, glimpse the shadow of a person moving within, and the swirling rush of the rainwater pouring off the roofs of houses blocked out any sounds of the citizens within. The rain and storm had coaxed all of the inhabitants of the town indoors, which meant that Link didn't have to worry about people getting in his way and had a smooth journey to the west end and to the stables.

The stable master happened to see Link approaching and was opening the stable doors in anticipation.

"Good evening, sir! Fine weather we havin', eh?"

"Yeah, it's lovely," Link replied with a small smile, indulging in the man's small talk.

"Ah, that's a fine mare you have there. How old would she be? Five?"

"Almost, yeah," Link replied, leading Epona into the stables after the stout man with his large moustache. On his left, Ordon goats bleated leisurely, unaffected by the rain, but Link quickly looked away from them, not wanting such a evident reminder of his village after having just left it.

"Here, ya' be!" the man exclaimed, stopping before an empty stall. Whistling, the man hollowed out a name that Link didn't catch while he led Epona in and after a moment or two, a young stable boy appeared.

"Ervick here will fetch your mare hay and give her a good rub down. How long were you planning on holding up here in town?"

"Ah, just for the night at the moment," Link replied after a second of thought. "But if you could make sure she's well taken care of, I'll pay extra if need."

"Oh, lad, that won't be necessary! I'll make sure that she's be taken care of, don't you worry about that!"

The man chuckled deeply and Link couldn't help but give him a thankful grin; it was nice to see some decent people for a change who didn't start drooling at the thought of some extra rupees. Hyrule was still a a bad sort of era, even with the evil having been vanquished, and in such hard times trickery, thievery, and deceit usually flourished. Sure enough though, the boy Ervick arrived with a pitchfork full of hay that he emptied into a corner of the stall. Link smiled at the boy who started to help him unfasten Epona's saddle.

The man raised a brow as he looked over Link and the Hylian couldn't ignore that the stable master paid extra attention to the Master Sword.

"Sir, if you don't me asking, but what might be your name?"

Link, feeling suddenly on the spot, hesitated in handing over Epona's wet saddle to the boy before clearing his throat to say, "Link. Yours?"

"Ardi," the man replied, blinking upon hearing Link's name, before shaking his head as if to dismiss something.

"Is something the matter?"

"Oh, no. Sorry sir. Just thought for a moment that you were someone else."

Confused, Link just let that one slide and paid the stable master the rupees for the night, handing Ervick a blue one to ensure that Epona was indeed taken care of, before he collected his things from his saddlebags in a sack that he hauled over his shoulder. Thanking Ardi again, Link went towards the door only to pause. Where should he go? He could try the inn but stepping out into the rain, Link found himself following the roads until he descended a couple flights of stairs. The growing sounds of boisterous voices grew louder once the teen stepped from the stairs and headed towards a door, finally becoming sheltered from the rain. He was soaked but, knowing from experience, Link knew that in no time at all his Hero's Clothes would be dry: sometimes magic came in handy!

Adjusting his sack, Link pulled open the door and entered the establishment, met immediately with the sounds of laughter, clinking glass, and music. Closing the door behind him, Link looked around the bar until he set eyes upon a familiar figure and walking forward, he found a stool at the bar and set his sack down in front of his feet.

The bartender, busy with another patron, came over to Link after a couple of seconds and without looking at him at first, she said, "What can I get you…?"

Link smiled when the woman trailed to a stop before he jumped when she suddenly shrieked with delight and came around the bar with her arms wide. Slightly terrified, Link leaned away but was unable to escape the woman's strong arms and much to his growing blush, found himself very close to her large bosom as she hugged the breath from him; Link didn't even want to think about how many people were watching, probably jealous about having not received such a glorious hug.

"Oh, Link! Honey, honey, it is great to see your handsome face around here again! My, my… if folks around here found out….Mm! It is sure good to see you!"

Finally Telma released him and Link sucked in a breath and coughed, smiling with his face a deep shade of red and while he wanted to ask her what she meant by being '_found out_,' he was too preoccupied with catching his breath to ask. Other patrons were indeed glancing in his direction but soon returned to their drinks and behind the bar a man whom Link had never seen before had taken over Telma's orders. Crossing her arms, Telma took her time to look Link over, slightly shaking her head with an expression that Link thought meant that she approved of what she saw. "My, my… What brings a hero like yourself back to Castle Town? The last time I saw your good-looking figure, you were hightailing into the sunset, back to your quiet life as what, a farmer?"

"Rancher actually," Link corrected, fixing his now-dry hat, "But I've decided to not be one."

"I see, a hero 'til the end, hmm?" Telma said with a nod and sly smile, coming around the bar once again and poured an amber coloured, frothy liquid into a mug and set it before him. "There you are, honey! On the house for the Saviour of Hyrule!"

Link smiled shyly at the woman's generosity and flirtatious wink, glancing around in case anyone had heard that because he really didn't want that attention right now. He indeed took the mug and sipped the sweet-tasting mead. Link had yet to actually get drunk, only having in the past a few drinks with Rusl on the odd occasion but he had been too young to actually indulge. The way he was feeling right now, missing Midna and now the Hero's Shade, getting drunk didn't seem that bad of an idea because that's what people did, right? Drink away their sorrows? Licking his lips, Link set down the mug while he asked, "So, Telma, tell me. What's the latest news?"

"Oh, where to begin," Telma said with a sigh, grabbing a rag to wipe out mugs. Taking a moment to think, she looked at him only to smirk. "You've been missing quite the party! I told you months ago that you should've stayed around for the Queen's coronation because I tell ya', honey! It was one hell of a celebration! Packed bar every night for two weeks straight! I was so busy that I had to hire Karan here to help me out because as much as I can handle, I even found it to be overwhelming! And you should hear the songs they're singing of your exploits! I have to say that my personal favourite is the _Warrior of the Wood_!"

Chuckling, Telma glanced over at the loud party to Link's right where a group of soldiers occupied the back table who were laughing, though not as loud, but still looking as though they were enjoying themselves. "Yes and you should have seen the Queen when she was coronated, the poor thing. All dressed up and as beautiful as any of the goddesses but anyone could see how sad she was even though she smiled for the crowd, well I could anyway, and I think it hasn't much improved over the past months. Understandable, really, because you'd have to be dumb and ignorant to not understand the amount of stress the poor girl must be under."

"What do you mean?" Setting down his mug, Link gave Telma a questioning look, concern evident in his expression.

Link did not know the Queen well, only meeting her a few times and the majority of those he had been a wolf. Still, she and him had fought Ganondorf together and Zelda had even saved them both, so of course he was concerned.

Telma, raising a brow at him, leaned upon the counter and said in a lower tone, "Ever since you left, the Queen has been busy with various projects: the restoration of the castle, building up her guard, delegations, and probably twenty other things. She's been very active, helping as much as she can, but honey, I have not seen that poor girl smile once in the last year and she used to be such a happy child. Okay, well she smiles, but I as a woman know what it looks like to hide your true feelings, and the Queen Zelda is hurting. I mean, we are living in hard times with so much death and destruction hanging over our heads, but our queen I'm sure must be feeling the brunt of it."

Link furrowed his brow a bit lower but didn't say anything, allowing Telma to continue.

Leaning closer, the bar owner looked Link in the eye and said, "How much do you know of the Royal Family, honey, or about the Queen? I know you saved her but do you really know her? I can only imagine that farmers don't pay that much attention to royalty, hm?"

Link, blinking as to why Telma was acting all mysterious, shrugged and looking down at his mug he said, "Well, I guess I know only as much as any other normal person would. That her mother died around the time I was born about eighteen years ago and I had heard about the king's death last year, I mean who hasn't? He was the king after all. But, aside from when I was supposed to deliver a sword as tribute to her coronation, I guess I don't know much at all about Queen Zelda."

That was right. The Ordon Sword that Rusl had asked Link to deliver to Hyrule Castle months ago was supposed to be a tribute to the Princess Zelda's coronation, but then the monster's attacked because the Twilight has descended upon Hyrule, everything had changed. The castle had been attacked first, as Zelda herself had once told to Link, and it all had happened only a few days before her coronation. Thinking about it now, if Link had left a day earlier to deliver the sword, he might have been caught up in the attack on the castle and who knows how things would have turned out because of that? Would he still have become the Hero Chosen by the Gods? Well, probably, but all his friends would have been kidnapped without his knowing and... Link shook his head and cast away the innumerable possibilities.

Telma, nodding, shrugged and returned to cleaning her mugs. "Ah, yes, poor Queen Adelheide, Zelda's mother. I remember that day quite well, the poor little princess. She must have been around two at the time? Yes, and she didn't cry once you know, during the funeral, just watched the entire thing with the saddest expression I have ever seen on a child. No child should ever be that sad but it seems, there have been a lot a sad faces plaguing Hyrule these days. I mean just look what happened in Kakariko! All those people slaughtered... And the King Arawn was a loving father I tell you, such a strong and handsome man, though to raise the princess on his own must have been hard on him. A child needs a mother, yet the king never remarried. Now there's a true love story that I could tell you, between the late king and queen. When her father died last year, the princess didn't appear publicly for a month after the funeral as I recall."

Swirling around the contents of his mug, Link listened quietly before he looked up to see Telma paused in her mug cleaning, lost in thought, before she suddenly shook her head and continued her cleaning. "Why are you telling me this, Telma?" Link asked, breaking the silence.

Telma looked at him with an arched brow, before she set an arm on the counter and the other at her hip, a coy smile playing upon her lips. "Well that is the reason why you're here, right? To see the queen? I thought you ought to know a thing or two about her before you go and see her, to help you understand her. I suspected that you heard about her recruiting soldiers and that was perhaps why you've changed your mind about farming."

"Ranching."

"Same thing."

Shifting on his stool, Link gave himself a moment by taking a large sip of his mead, swishing the increasingly delicious liquid in his mouth before he swallowed and shook his head. He really hadn't thought about what exactly he was going to do, though it was along the lines of finding something that was heroic and go for that, but the prospect of joining the Queen's guard did hold some interest. But, did he want to be tied down with a profession like that? Link was the Hero Chosen by the Gods, which meant he was special, so shouldn't he be pursing a more… adventurous or courageous path? He could see himself climbing the ranks of the guard and thus being able to take on the more dangerous missions to ensure Hyrule's safety, but... he wasn't sure.

Telma must have noticed the uncertainty in his expression because she chuckled and gave him a wink. "Don't worry about it, honey, and take your time. As I see it, a handsome man like you will figure it out because you are meant for greatness, there's no doubt about that. So tell me, how's my sweet Ilia? You two still cute and all?"

Link's shy smile in gratitude suddenly vanished and he lowered his eyes. "She's... fine," he replied simply, tone hollow and distant, and once again he considered that getting drunk wouldn't be the worst of ideas.

Telma, reading his response correctly, sighed sadly and said,"Ah, a shame but that's how these things go sometimes," she muttered to him. "Though, I'm sure with your reputation, especially around these parts, you'll have to hold the girls at bay with both hands. Who knows? With you being a hero and all, you'd probably find yourself a cute noble girl even."

Link glanced up to see the woman's smiling face, understanding and compassion in her eyes, but her tone and words were enough to coax a small smile back into his features. The hero then watched Telma return to tending to her patrons and help Karan and he was left to nurse his emptying mug.

A guffaw of obnoxious laughter caught the young man's attention and he turned his head to see in his peripheral the group of soldiers, with their armour bearing the Hylian crest. Watching them, Link tried to imagine himself as one of them, donned in metal rather then green and he frowned. Link liked green, he felt natural in his Hero's Clothes, and the magical properties of the garments made up for steel or iron. Then again, he considered the fact that he had never actually tried on armour so he wasn't in the position to judge.

One of the guards, a gentlemen sitting in the corner slightly away from his comrades, caught Link watching them and the youth turned back to his drink. Shifting on his stool, the hero looked down into his mug and watched a few bubbles rupture at the mead's surface and he furrowed his brow in thought. Call Link irresponsible, but before his whole adventure with the Twilight and Midna started he hadn't actually given his future any thought whatsoever, he just sort of had been content with his life in Ordon. Thinking about it now, Link realized that if the monsters had never attacked, thus he was never told of his destiny of being the Hero Chosen by the Gods and if Zant and Ganondorf had not brought destruction and the Twilight to Hyrule, his life would have been completely different. He probably would have ended up in a real relationship with Ilia, married her, had kids, and lived out his days in quiet comfort. Funny how a person's perspective of things changed because the thought of such a life now almost made Link cringe at the image and anxious to be back on the move. Married and kids? Was that even possible for a Saviour of Hyrule? The Hero of Time admitted that he never had a family so maybe history was fated to repeat itself?

A tap upon his shoulder stalled Link's train of thought and shifting in his seat, he blinked to see the same guard who had looked at him earlier standing right behind him. Helmet off, the man looked to be his in his forties, with his chestnut-coloured hair accented with the flourish of grey, his impressive moustache waxed to neatly curl upwards, but this did not seem to muddle the intense seriousness and strength the man held in his facial features, or how his brown eyes held Link in a gaze that commanded his full attention. Up close, Link finally saw that there was a difference in regalia that the man wore from his comrades, however slight, and the hero surmised that probably that meant a higher or at least different rank

"Can I… ah, help you… sir?" Link asked, swallowing the last of his mead but maintaining his relaxed composure.

Not replying immediately, the man considered Link in a manner that made the younger man sit a bit straighter. His buddies had also quieted from their antics and most had switched to watching their moustached comrade address Link, making the hero slightly uncomfortable. Telma and her assistant, Karan, had also noticed the change in atmosphere and the woman was looking at Link with a calm though protective air about her.

"Pardon me, lad, but are you the one they call Link?"

"Yes," Link answered with a raise of his brow, his left hand shifting ever so slightly just in case he would need to draw his sword. The guard gave no indication that he noticed Link's hand move but a voice in his head informed Link that the man had and to be cautious.

"I see. In that case," the guard spoke cryptically with a nod before he suddenly suddenly struck his fist to his left breast, causing Link to jump from his stool and grip the Master Sword's hilt. But the guard fell to his right knee and bowed his head. "I am in your debt and owe you my gratitude."

Dumbstruck, Link stood there blinking like an idiot, quietly gasping when the remainder of the guards at the table quickly arose to follow suit and kneel to Link, all in unison. By this point, the entire bar was looking directly at the young man and it was clearly written in his face that he had no idea what was going on.

Thankfully, Telma came to his side, chuckling quieting with a knowing smile on her lips. Casually draping her arm on his shoulder, the woman leaned over to speak softly in Link ear, "Relax there, honey, but now you see why I thought you were here to see the Queen."

"What?"

The guard stood, his men mirroring him, and looked at Link with the same serious expression, but his intense eyes held respect. "Master Link, allow me to introduce myself and then I shall explain my actions. I am Captain Jerret, commander of Her Majesty's Royal Guard, and I would like to personally extend my gratitude for saving not only our Lady Zelda, her majesty the Queen, but also the whole of Hyrule. It is an honour to finally meet you, sir."

Only his blinking disturbed Link's blank expression. Relaxing his grip slowly on his sword, he shifted uncomfortably under the stares of the bar, before glancing up at Telma to silently ask for help. Sure, have him face fifty enemies and Link didn't bat an eyes but have a few soldiers bow to him and the 'Saviour of Hyrule' was at a loss and needed help.

Shaking her head and grinning, the woman went up to the captain, hands on her hips, and said, "Now, now, Jerret. I don't think that there's such a need to be so formal, not here at least. Can't you see that you're confusing the boy?"

"I'm not a boy," Link spoke up indignantly, shaking free of his shock.

Jerret, looking between the two, crossed his arms and raised a brow at Telma. "You know the hero personally, Telma? Why hadn't you said so before."

"I know a man named Larrie too, should I had said that also?"

Link glanced between Telma's strong smirk and Jerret's mild amusement before he stepped forward to clear the air and have his say. "Captain, I appreciate your, umm… bowing and gratitude and all but it's really not necessary. I did what I had to and would do it again, but I must ask as to how you knew of me?"

Link hadn't gone public really about his exploits and when he had last met with Queen Zelda to receive his honours, it had been in a private audience and he had left Castle Town without fanfare or any grandeur because that's what he had requested. His identity as the '_Saviour of Hyrule_' mainly remained in legendary rumours, so it somewhat surprised him that the captain had been able to recognize him so easily.

"I knew your identity, Master Link, because of the way you're dressed, for the hero who saved us is said to be clad in green bearing a sword with a purple hilt. As well, the Queen had told me of your name", Jerret replied politely.

Ah, okay, perhaps Link wasn't that surprised that he had been recognized but it still was an odd experience to be called 'Master Link', let alone knelt to!

"Right," Link answered simply, smiling bashfully and feeling rather unlike the courageous hero he probably was reported to be.

Jerret, sensing the younger man's discomfort, cast a glance to his men who instantly resumed sitting and talking, and soon most of the remainder of the bar did as well, though it was clear that the patrons were still watching. The captain gestured for Link to sit and once the young man did, so too did the man. Telma, still smiling, returned to behind the bar and without asking him, refilled Link's mug and gave Jerret a shot glass of a brownish liquid.

Downing the shot, Jerret set down the glass without flinching and looking aside at Link and said, "Forgive me if I might have embarrassed you, Master Link, but I took in consideration your current state and thought that if ever I had a chance to thank you, now would have been the only time."

"What do you mean by that?" Link asked before sipping his mead.

"Your pack, a clear indication that you are on a journey and probably won't be staying in Castle Town for long, which is a shame."

"Sorry but I'm not really one to glorify in fame."

"No, that's not what I meant," Jerret paused to fully look at Link. "I meant that it would a shame if you left without seeing the Queen. She thinks quite highly of you and these past few months had been… difficult for her if you hadn't already known or heard. It's clear that she's trying to remain as busy as she has been for the good of all Hyrule, but it is plain to see that she is..." Jerret hesitated to try and find the right word as Link looked on in concern, "troubled. Her Majesty has a lot on her mind for such a young queen and I believe that perhaps seeing you, the Saviour of Hyrule, might lift her spirits."

The tone of the captain's words was low and sad and it was clearly evident to Link that Jerret cared deeply for his queen and her wellbeing. Link, thinking, wet his lips and was about to ask when the other man beat him to it. "If you are wondering why I care so much, know then that the late King Arawn asked me to watch over his daughter just before he died. I have not seen the Queen smile in over a year, her true smile, ever since before her father's death, and I cannot help but feel that I am failing his final command."

"Well, when you put it like that," Link said slowly, "of course I will meet with the Queen."

As if he had a choice.

Jerret had placed him in a difficult position and Link was not entirely sure if the captain had done so unintentionally or not. When the man slapped him on the back and thanked him, that small voice at the back of Link's mind whispered that the captain was more cunning and clever than some average soldier and rather than being annoyed, Link was amused. Giving Jerret a small smile, the Hylian had to admit that thinking about all the times he had either spoken to or seen Queen Zelda, he couldn't recall her smiling either. Well, except when her body had been possessed by Ganondorf but that didn't count. Link used to think that her serious and solemn composure was just because she was royalty and when they had met, it had been under a less than pleasant context. Still, hearing Jerret speak so sadly and with the worried tone of a guardian, Link tried to think with a new perspective on the whole situation.

"I don't know how I can help, though. I mean, I've only actually spoken to Queen Zelda a couple of times because really, we had been too busy fighting Ganondorf or saving one another to chat or whatever," Link admitted, finally pushing away his half-empty mug.

"I think that that is exactly why it would be good if you were to speak with her," Jerret replied. "Your role as a hero might help remind the Queen that-"

"Captain Jerret! It is time to head out, sir!"

His own men, who had finished their mugs, interrupted the captain's words and were all standing to await departure. Jerret, frowning briefly, nodded to the guards before turning back to Link. "Well, if you do intend to speak with Her Majesty, I suggest that you come with us now."

/ / / / /

What a contrast in environments Link had found himself in.

Once the entourage of soldiers left the tavern, a break in the storm ensured that they wouldn't get completely soaked as they marched towards the central fountain of Castle Town with Link following behind Captain Jerret. Rather then head north towards Hyrule Castle, the guards instead headed towards one of the finer houses in the town where more guards stood by the front door. As Jerret explained to Link, with the castle under construction the Queen had taken up residence in one of the houses of the Hylian nobility, much to the family's annoyance to being temporarily evicted from their home. The house now served as a temporary headquarters for meetings of the castle's restoration, peace delegations, and a 24/7 guard ensured the safety of Hyrule's monarch. Since the end of Zant's Invasion of Hyrule and the fall of Ganondorf, tensions have been high and the threat of another attack weighed heavily on everyone's mind. Upon entering the house, Link found himself in such finery and riches unlike he had ever seen, so different from the bar he had just left. Even while he had been in the castle, Link had not seen the amount of exotic rugs, tapestries, silver, and portraits as he did in the home's foyer. Then again, the castle had been ransacked and partly destroyed in places but all the same, Link felt very out of place.

Only Jerret lead Link upstairs, the other soldiers either remained outside or on the main floor, yet more guards stood posted outside a set of doors which Link could only assume was where Queen Zelda was; having remained silent for most of the journey, he did not ask. The captain nodded to the men and knocked upon the door. When a voice inside bade him enter, Jerret looked over to Link, nodded, before opening the door and lead Link inside.

"Your Majesty. Master Link has come to gain an audience with you."

Link glanced at Jerret with a confused expression before his gaze was caught by the figure sitting on the other side of a grand desk on the opposite end of the room. In the midst of writing something, the Queen of Hyrule stopped to look up and Link stood a little straighter when he felt his ruler's eyes on him before they shifted to Jerret.

"Captain," she said simply and bowing his head, the man stepped from the room and shut the door, leaving Link standing alone in the room with the queen.

Silence enveloped the space and Link was frozen in place, a blush beginning to burn in cheeks as he had no idea what the hell to do or say or why exactly he was there or what he was supposed to do. Zelda on the other hand, sat calmly at her desk, set down her quill, and gracefully stood to approach Link. In a panic, the hero dropped to one knee, head bowed, but a single syllable broke the quiet of the room.

"No."

Confused, Link hesitantly looked up to blink up at the queen who was standing right in front of him and he found himself, like usual, at a loss for words. The monarch wore a simple light blue dress with no jewelry adorning her noble features and her long, brunette hair hung only in a loose braid. She was beautiful, even he could see that just like the entire kingdom, for Zelda's beauty was renowned by all. As plainly as she was dressed, she still looked stunningly regal with the way she held herself and the air of royalty she resonated; fro where he knelt, Link couldn't help but notice the lovely perfume the Queen Zelda gave off.

"What…" Link began, his confusion turned to shock when he saw Zelda shake her head and offer her hand to him.

"You bow to no one," she said and after a few moments of hesitation, Link slowly took her hand and stood.

"But, Your Majesty-"

"And you shall not call me that either. When I first met you I had introduced myself as Zelda and it is by my name that I ask you to call me as."

The Queen took his hand in both of hers before looking him in the eye and Link swallowed nervously. With no make-up, jewels, or her crown, the Queen Zelda looked as lovely as he remembered but face-to-face with her now, Link could see for himself the sadness that Captain Jerret had spoken of. Zelda's flawless features looked distant and weary and her brilliant blue eyes looked tired and troubled.

Link bit his lower lip and the blush in his cheeks deepened from being asked to call his Queen, the Ruler of Hyrule, by her first name; even Link knew that that was a big deal and highly unusual. Zelda stood a couple inches taller than Link and the Hylian knew that she was also a couple years older than him but he might as well as been as tall as a mouse with how shy he was feeling, not knowing what to say in response to her. Her hands were so soft in comparison to his gloved and calloused hands, from riding and the sword.

Zelda, sensing his discomfort, gently dropped his hand and stepped back, her eyes holding his. "I know that you have not come to Castle Town to see me, Link, though I can understand why Captain Jerret has convinced you to come here."

"B-but Your Majes- I mean, ah…" Link floundered over his words and stopped completely when Zelda held up her hand.

"It is fine, Link, please there is no need for you to explain. I am aware that the captain is worried about me and while I appreciate his concern, I assure you that I am well."

Link frowned slightly and watched his queen cross the floor to stare out the window where beyond the glass panes, somewhere in the stormy night, Hyrule Castle loomed empty. He was the Hero Chosen by the Gods and had just received advice from his ancient knight predecessor about being courageous, yet Link said nothing out of shyness and confusion but allowed the woman to softly speak.

"The last I saw of you, I promised you anything you might want in gratitude for saving Hyrule and my people, but you had insisted that you needed nothing and to be able to simply return to Ordon. I respected your decision and still do though, while you might feel that you deserve no recognition, what you have done for Hyrule is indefinable. You were forced into danger and asked to achieve the arduous task of saving Hyrule, to which you bravely accepted, and so I must apologize to you." Turning from the window, Zelda looked at Link and inclined her head, "for being the one responsible to having to risk his life because of my mistakes."

"Your Majesty, it wasn't like that," Link finally said, his voice and expression torn while his eyes pleading for her to understand.

"Yes, it was, Link. When Zant first attacked Hyrule, I had not been the leader that Hyrule needed, the ruler that my father raised me to be, for I had been too selfish and preoccupied with his death to focus truly on my duty of the protection of Hyrule. Thus, Hyrule was slow to react when evil showed its terrible face. When Zant attacked the castle, I was left with the choice of surrender, but that did not stop so many from being lost: Kakariko Village was massacred, the queen, Rutela, of the Zora was executed, and my cowardice and failure to Hyrule also got you imprisoned."

"But you had to surrender, to save more people from dying!"

"But people had died," Zelda said firmly, looking up at him. "Can you look me in the eye and tell me that the soldiers you have encountered while Zant lived had been brave warriors or terrified men with spears?"

Link opened his mouth to answer but stopped and exhaling, looked away from her and Zelda nodded.

"Hyrulean soldiers fought bravely and valiantly when Zant entered the throne room and I had to stand by and be protected by them, only to watch as they were overcome and slaughtered. I, as the future Queen of Hyrule, was a symbol of the kingdom's courage and strength though when I had given up, I consequently destroyed the morale of my soldiers. Those who you have seen or encountered, many were drafted by Captain Jerret, who was one of the few who survived Zant's onslaught, and who are mere boys. Inexperienced and newly recruited, they were no match to the monsters of the Twilight. My surrender reflected the failure of the Royal Family, thus I am solely responsible. Peace had become the norm for Hyrule, her soldiers had become complacent with maintaining order without much effort, so even the trained soldiers and knights who defended the throne room and me were too easily overcome by true evil." Wetting her delicate lips, Zelda fell silent for a moment but when she turned to Link, she saw the hero's expression of sorrow and concern. With a sigh, the queen's tone softened. "Since you have left, Link, I have dedicated every waking hour to prove to my people that I will undo what Zant has done but, I cannot bring back those who fought bravely on my behalf only for me to surrender and slander their memory. I have commissioned a monument to commemorate their names, have already begun to rebuild Hyrule's defences and have begun planning to expand Castle Town's walls to encompass more of Hyrule Field, and have also entered into delegations to strengthen our kingdom's relationships. The Zora and the Gorons have already agreed to being our allies, with the Gorons even offering to help rebuild the castle as you know."

Zelda paused and Link furrowed his brow to see her actually frowning in what looked like disgust. "I had not wanted to begin construction on the castle so early and I argued that there were other important matters than a building, but my councillors motioned that the castle was a symbol to all Hyrule and that Hyruleans would see its rebuilding as a sign that Hyrule was prospering." Sighing, Zelda's face fell and she visibly slumped into her seat, Link stepping forward a few steps in alarm but stopped when he saw just how strained and stressed Zelda actually was and he couldn't help but fell rather useless and helpless. She looked so tired that Link was afraid she would fall asleep right then and there in her chair. Knitting her slender hands together, Zelda looked down at the paperwork neatly stacked upon her desk evenly and said in a quiet tone, "I've also been in contact with the Gerudo to develop a truce."

"The Gerudo?" Link exclaimed, anger crossing his features as he recalled that the Hero of Time had said that the Ganondorf of his time had been of the Gerudo. "I thought that there were no Gerudo left in Hyrule."

"There weren't, as most of the leaders had been executed before Ganondorf was or were exiled into the lands beyond the Great Desert. However, when word spread that Ganondorf had returned Gerudo have been spotted at the borders of the desert in the past few months and I have sent embassies to try and establish a truce with the tribe."

"But the Gerudo cannot be trusted," Link spoke firmly, his anger burning through his shock and bashfulness and the queen looked at him with what could have been admiration.

"Exactly my point. As I see it, that it is better to keep an enemy close, that way you might better see the knife before it strikes and stop it. Besides, the numbers of the Gerudo are so few now that they pose no real danger."

Zelda's eyes glanced from Link's face to the hilt of the Master Sword and Link, glancing in the direction of the sword, reached up to slowly draw the blade from its sheath. "I know that you advised me to return this to its rightful place, and trust me I did, but I was… told recently that the Master Sword belongs in my possession."

"By whom, may I ask?" The queen inquired, her neat brow arching slightly.

Link, not wanting to lie directly to the queen but not wanting to have to explain the Hero's Shade either, simply said, "A wise friend."

"Ah," was all Zelda said, before her eyes filled with sadness and she raised her left hand to look upon it. "I am envious of your friend, Link. I have in my possession the Triforce of Wisdom and throughout my life I have been noted to being wiser than even my elders. Lately, I have not felt very wise and have begun to question my every judgment, second-guessing what I have done and what I could have done differently." Looking aside, Zelda tapped her finger upon her chair before glancing back to Link, "Tell me if you can, but why have you returned to Castle Town? I was under the impression that Ordon was where your future lay."

Link lowered his eyes and watched how the room's light reflect off the blade of the Master Sword before he answered. "It was, I thought that was where my happiness was. However, I have discovered that I am meant to do more though I don't exactly know what yet."

Zelda from behind her desk watched Link and she his eyes met her, she said slowly, "Alas, I see now. You have risen as the Saviour of Hyrule, Hero Chosen by the Gods, but even with the darkness that plagued Hyrule having been vanquished, peace alludes you." Sitting up, Zelda slide a slight finger along one of the man papers set out before her before she went on, "I regret to say that this is a fault of mine as well, for you deserve peace but I as Queen of Hyrule have not restored balance to the land."

Before he really knew what he was doing, Link came around and knelt before the queen, using the Master Sword for stability, and when Zelda looked down at him, he said, "You must not regret, Your Majesty. The Hero... I mean, my friend, he told me that it was his regrets in life that ended up being his downfall. He became trapped and was forced to wait a very long time until he could redeem himself to be freed. The Triforce chose me... it chose us, for a purpose and my friend told me to never lose my courage, as I think you should not question your wisdom, and to bear the mark with pride." Wetting his lips with an expression of soft determination, Link stared directly into Zelda's eyes undaunted before he continued, "From what you have told me, Zant gave you no choice but to surrender and as I see it, if you had tried to fight him you would've only gotten yourself killed and all those who fought to protect you would have died in vain."

Zelda's eyes slightly narrowed though not with anger for Link saw the sparkle of tears in the corner of her eyes but he did not stop, with his words forming on their own. "The choices and decisions we make, as a leader or as a hero, will have consequences, but it is who we are and what we stand for that allows us to be able to make to the difficult decisions which others probably could not, even if it is at the cost of our desires or happiness. I believe that you chose right for if you hadn't, you wouldn't have been able to save Midna, without whom I never would have been able to be where I am, and you also saved me! You summoned the Light Arrows and we were able to defeat Ganondorf together. Zelda, if you had chosen differently, the whole of Hyrule could have been lost. It is true that I have left Ordon because I could not find peace that that is not your fault, for I am a hero of Hyrule, I have accepted that, and that is why I have returned."

Silence once again filled the room and as Link stared up at the queen, he feared that perhaps he had said too much or crossed some sort of line. Zelda just stared down at him with an intense expression of thoughtfulness and sadness, yet he held his position before her, holding her gaze. Fighting the urge to fidget, an idea popped into Link's head and he was surprised that he had not thought about it earlier. The image of the Hero of Time, standing before Link in his armour, smiling at him with complete belief in him and his abilities, brought courage and steely determination into Link's eyes. Without a moment's hesitation, Link bowed his head to say, "To prove that I truly believe in you, Your Highness, I pledge myself to you, to defend and stand by you with whatever decision you may make, and all of Hyrule, as your loyal hero. It would be an honour if you would accept my request to become a Hyrulean Knight."

Link waited, head bowed, down on one knee, with the Master Sword shining softly before him and within his heart he knew that he was making the right choice. What he was committing himself to do was what he was meant to do, why he had left Ordon and perhaps even why the Hero's Shade had truly come to him. As a hero, Link was destined to protect Hyrule and becoming a knight in service to the monarchy, like his predecessor had before him, was thus a part of that destiny.

Soft fingertips came to touch Link's cheek to coax him to look up and, slowly, Link did so to meet the queen's blue eyes and to his surprise, her soft smile. "Link," she said softly, a couple of tears flowing down her cheeks, which she wiped away her sleeve. "I thank you for your words. You are a hero of true courage and it would seem that I have much to learn for you are right. I must believe in the Triforce, in the goddesses, and my role as the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom. With time, all will be better, I have faith that it will."

Sitting straight, Zelda looked down at Link, her smile remaining and with a tone of authority she spoke, "As for your pledge to me and Hyrule, I accept. While you have proven your worthiness for the title of knight more than any other by your valour and courage, tradition prohibits me from bestowing knighthood here and now. However, I give you my solemn promise that your training to become a knight will begin immediately. Only after you have passed all of the tests required, will I knight you. I hereby declare, as Queen of Hyrule, that you, Link of Ordon and Saviour of Hyrule, are officially a member of my guard and be given the title of Squire. Rise and accept these words by taking my hand as your Queen and you, as my Squire."

Link rose and looking down at her, returned Zelda's smile and calmly took her offered hand. The moment his fingers clasped hers, Link knew that a new chapter of his life had begun with his pursuit for knighthood.


	4. Chapter Four: Lustrum

"Looks like it's going to snow again today…"

While staring up at the grey sky of the early dawn, the cool glass of the window soon fogged up from the man's breath, thus obscuring his view of the white and grey landscape. Cocking his head to the side, he quickly drew a Triforce in the condensation with a quick motion and without lifting his finger to complete the symbol. Stepping back, Link admired his work for a moment until it disappeared. The man grabbed the damp towel he'd just discarded and ruffled his wet hair with the material, his bare chest chilling in the air following his bath. The room itself was warm, heated by the roaring fire in the large hearth that dominated a side of the modestly sized room. Bookshelves, a settee, table, a large wardrobe and a four-poster bed were the other main components of the bedroom but were nothing too extravagant or detailed, just how Link had wanted them to be. Simple tapestries covered most of the exposed stone of the walls to further reduce the winter's chill from perforating the room and thick rugs cushioned Link's bare feet. His bathroom door remained open to help air out any remaining steam and ghostly tendrils of moisture were crawling slowly across the threshold before finally dissipating.

Comfortable being alone in the nude, the hero took his time to dry his hair before he stepped in front of a full-body mirror. Neither was he admiring his nude figure nor succumbing to some sense of vanity, but rather Link turned his torso to be able to see the back of his right shoulder and deem how well a healing cut was doing.

"She's improving fast," he mused quietly with a slight smirk, not referring directly to the wound but rather its source.

The cut was long and thin, from a sword's blade, but thankfully hadn't been very deep when it had occurred, though the sight of blood had been enough to stop any further training from taking place. Though, if Link took anything from the experience, he knew that next time he'd be less enthusiastic about practising with the sword shirtless, so really it was his own damn fault he'd gotten cut. Sighing and relaxing his posture, Link was about to continue with his dressing before relenting to his ego and took a moment to look at his reflection. All traces of baby fat or his laxer days in Ordon were long gone from his appearance and had instead been hardened with the muscles of a man. The muscles of his thighs and legs bulged with strength and hours of training and riding, his abdominal muscles were ridged and defined, tight and hard, and his arms were equally lean and strong, though his left was slightly more muscled due to his left-handedness. By definition, Link wasn't heavily muscled, well toned would be a better description, but there was enough of a noticeable change in his physical appearance from when he had first pledged himself to Queen Zelda that a small smile did creep into his lips. Running a hand over his pectorals, scratching idly, Link gazed over the light trail of hair extending from his bellybutton down to his loins and reaching down to touch the brown hair, a shade darker than the hair on his head, and the man recalled the time of his life when he could turn into a wolf and fur covered his entire body. However, ever since he had drawn the Master Sword from its pedestal, any remaining darkness dwelling within him had been subdued once again and no longer did he crave to howl or growl. Sometimes he wondered if in fact that was why he had struggled so much back in Ordon and with Ilia and perhaps why he had felt so disconnected with everything.

Shaking his head of the past, not wanting to go down that road of thought today, Link gave his naked figure one last glance over before moving away from the mirror and retrieved some pants and undergarments from his wardrobe. Pulling on the clothes, Link couldn't help but recall one of the last things the Hero of Time had told him before he left. The knight had joked that Link had some growing up to do and, as it turned out, the Hero's Shade had been right. Link was now over five inches taller than what he had been when he had left Ordon and no longer could Sir Faris make fun of his height. He was a full-grown man now and running his hand quickly over his chin, Link felt a patch of stubble that he had missed while shaving but had no time to deal with it now. Standing and lacing up his pants, the Hylian went over in his mind what needed to be done for the day, snow or no snow. Winters in Hyrule were short and temperate with actual snow being a rarity, let alone sticking on the ground, but this year seemed to be slighter colder than normal. Usually, winters were cool and rainy with the mountain ranges marking Hyrule's borders trapping much of the cold amongst their peaks and the Great Desert ensured Hyrule remained moderately warm even during the colder months. This year had just been colder and a short autumn had brought the winter winds faster than usual but even so, the snow hadn't caused any major troubles around the country but had transformed the landscape into a realm of mystical whiteness.

When spring arrived in about a month, the season would mark the fifth year since Link pledged himself to Her Majesty, Queen Zelda. From the moment that Link had taken a knee before his queen and became her squire, his life had changed dramatically. That day, he had set out in the morning from Ordon without a destination in mind and by night, Link found himself being invited to live in the very same house as the Queen of Hyrule herself. At first, Link had tried to politely decline the offer, stating that he could stay in the barracks with the other guardsmen, but the queen would not allow it and had said as much.

"I appreciate and respect your humility but a figure such as yourself paired with your deeds, promises you leisure and allowances that if not accepted, I fear that people might question why their Hero is not being better treated. Can you understand my meaning, Link?" Link had understood, or at least tried to, what Queen Zelda meant but he did ask of her that if he did live in the house that he wanted to be treated like a guard and not as a noble.

The Queen promised Link that this would be so and to prove it, as well as to keep her promise that his training to become a knight would begin immediately, Zelda set Link up in a room on the main floor and that his training would begin the following morning under Captain Jerret. In the span of a day, Link had gone from living in a Ordonian tree house to the finest house in Castle Town, which had more riches and finery within a single room than Link had ever seen before in his whole life. The house itself belonged to one of the noble families of Hyrule, for there were seven families in total, and its wealthiest for five generations has been the Gefion family. The family's current patriarch, Euros, had made it clear enough his annoyance of being forced to leave his lavish home and have to take up residence in the town's inn, but was courteous enough to his queen that he referred to the move as "his noble obligation to the Royal Family". Link disliked the man instantly and he didn't try hard to hide his disdain. That first night within the home, Link had just laid awake on a rather soft and luxurious bed in pure disbelief, yet when he finally did fall asleep he found that for the first time in five months he could sleep without waking from nightmares. That in itself ought to have been enough to show that what he was doing was what he was supposed to be doing, that becoming a squire and pursuing knighthood was his destiny, his future. Well, that's how he saw it anyway.

Over the next couple of weeks, Link struggled with becoming accustomed to living with a royal while adjusting to his strict training routine. Captain Jerret's training regiment matched his personality: hard, determined, but softened when Jerret needed to ensure that Link understood an instruction. The pair trained on the grounds of Hyrule Castle, which was under construction by masons and Gorons. At first Link was unsettled with being so near to the place where he had battled Ganondorf, so when he had first come up to the damaged castle, the young man had almost turned around but was stopped by the captain.

"I know what you must be thinking, but you cannot change the past, Link. You should not run from it, but you can learn from it and given time it will help you make you strong." The captain had spoken to Link in his deep voice, tone serious and stern, yet guiding, and Link had to take a second look at the captain because what he said was almost exactly what the Hero of Time had told him. It made him miss the knight all the more but Jerret was right, so Link faced the castle undaunted and continued onward. Thus was how their training began.

Link easily excelled through the basic forms and swordplay and their sessions quickly gained audiences with the younger guardsmen entranced with watching the Saviour of Hyrule train and display his skills. Rusl had trained Link properly and Jerret reinforced any basic skills Link needed improving on, while the Hero's Shade had taught him the advanced skills that set Link apart from anyone else in Hyrule. Even so, there was still a lot that the captain was able to teach the hero before he could advance in his instruction. Hours of drilling, perfecting forms, learning standard battle plans like how to defend a castle, and overall how to be a Hyrulean Soldier filled the Hylian's days. The more Link became involved with the military, the more he became involved with the universal defence of Hyrule.

Queen Zelda also saw to it that she regularly held an audience with Link to discuss Hyrule's defensive future and took his advice very seriously. A few months after Link began his training he asked the queen why she listened to him when there were far more experienced men like Captain Jerret who knew far more than he did. In response, she told him simply, "True that there may be men more experienced than you are when it comes to advanced military tactics or what to do during a siege and alike. However you, Link, have experienced more than any other man has when it concerns defending Hyrule because you know firsthand what true evil looks like and how it may be defeated. Hence, why your word I hold in such high esteem, at least one of the reasons anyway."

Link didn't entirely understand her but the way she said it showed to him how much Zelda trusted his word and counsel and didn't ask any further.

Within six months since becoming a squire, Link graduated past standard training with Jerret and Zelda enlisted Link to begin training with a true Hyrulean knight, Sir Faris, one of the only knights left in Hyrule following Zant's Invasion. The first time Link was introduced with the knight, who had been recuperating from the Battle of the Throne, as the initial usurping of Zant had become to be known as, the squire had stiffened and gained instant respect for the knight even before the man had said a word to him. Sir Faris, a man of an easy six foot four, with a single ponytail of blond hair extending from the back of his rather bald head and was only accompanied by the knight's thick and blond moustache. The knight was built like a Goron, and probably could wrestle one down without the aid of any Iron Boots, even with his left arm ending at the shoulder. When the knight saw Link staring at him, the man did not hesitant to strike the hero so hard that Link had lost unconsciousness. As Link was later told, during the Battle of the Throne one of Zant's Shadow Beasts had gotten hold of the knight in its jaws and when Zelda had surrendered it had kept Faris' arm as a prize, thus leaving the knight to die. Sir Faris was more tenacious and stronger than that and had managed to escape the castle and find refuge in town but was too weak to be of any further use. It had taken a year for his wound and strength to heal and return but the knight would not tolerate being treated differently or pitied because of the loss of his arm.

"It is not the arm that wields that sword that defines a knight but his heart! If I catch you looking at my stump again, prepare for another blackened eye, boy," Sir Faris had told Link once he had woken up, and that was their first meeting.

Amputee or not, Link soon learned that Sir Faris was not about to let the simple fact that he was missing a limb slow him down. The knight regarded the queen's request for him to train none other than the Saviour of Hyrule as his own way of proving his loyalty to the crown, to Hyrule, and to redeem his honour for not being able to protect Zelda from Zant. That said, he wasn't about to let Link's reputation and fame dictate that he be treated any differently from any other squire and that Link would need to earn Faris' respect through his training. Where Jerret had been stern and patient with his training, Sir Faris was loud, determined, harsh, and strict to the point where sweat dripped from Link's face, he was nearly falling over with exhaustion, and he even dislocated his shoulder during a training exercise. The knight had no such time for injuries and instructed for Link to pop his own shoulder back in and continue training.

"Battle has no patience with pain or injury so, if you succumb to pain, you will lose the battle and you will die," the knight had said as he watched the young warrior cry out when his shoulder popped back into its socket.

Each night, Link would return to the Zelda and no matter how exhausted he was, he would speak with the queen even if she ordered him to rest. To Link, his training was of high importance but he also insisted that he remain active and involved with Zelda's pursuit for peace and truces across Hyrule, namely with the Gerudo. The tribe of women was cautious and slow to deal with the Hyruleans, though Zelda had at least accomplished with her dignitaries a frail treaty with them and with the help of the Gorons, had reopened the trail from Lake Hylia to the Great Desert for better access for horses and materials. Often, when Link wasn't being bruised and worn down from his training with Faris, the hero would accompany the queen's envoys to visit the Gerudo and help oversee the building of the Gerodo's new fortress. The women visibly were distrusting of the Hyrulean intrusion and aid but even they would acknowledge that the Great Desert was the tribe's homeland and their few numbers meant help was a necessity. The current matriarch of the tribe, a Gerudo named Nabila, confirmed that while they may be warriors, they needed the resources of the Hyruleans and admitted that since their banishment that the tribe's bloodlines were in trouble.

The Gerudo were a tribe made up entirely of women while men were regarded simply as means of procreation. According to rumours, women would '_claim_' a man as theirs and thereby the father of any child that may come from any sexual encounters. Gerudo culture has always been shrouded in mystery and guarded jealously by the women, but even from his first few visits to the desert Link noticed that the youngest Gerudo visible were in their adolescence with no young children present. The only true fact that most Hyruleans did know about Gerudo was that only one male was born to the tribe every century and would be their king until his death and Ganondorf had been the last king. Banishment into the surrounding mountain ranges had been hard on the Gerudo with child bearing decreasing to nearly zero children born a year, thus the main reason why they accepted the treaty with Hyrule, and also why no ing had been born to the tribe yet.

One particular night, around three months into his training with Faris, Link was having his regular private audience with the queen and by that point, the two had developed a fairly good friendship and Link had become pretty comfortable around the ruler.

"Zelda," he began, wetting his lips to make sure he knew what he was asking,

"Yes, Link?" The queen responded, sitting across from him in her study aside a small fire. Upon her desk were stacks of paperwork waiting to be read or signed but Zelda always set her work aside to be able to focus all her attention on Link, a courtesy that still made the young man blush.

"I was thinking that perhaps after my training with Sir Faris is completed, or even whenever you choose, that I may become a more constant presence with the Gerudo so that they may begin to trust me."

"And what do you think this will accomplish?" the queen asked though not with a disapproving tone, but one of pure curiosity.

"I was hoping that perhaps if I gained the favour of the Gerudo, that one day I might be able to train with them. I have seen them duel and…." Pausing, at a loss for words, Link ran a hand through his hair and shrugged at his queen, causing her to smile. "They are amazing ti watch, I admit."

"So, what you're saying is that you wish to learn the art of the famed swordplay of the Gerudo?"

"Yes, if I'm even accepted or if you allow for me to try. Their skills are remarkable and if I'm able to learn from them, it'll only improve Hyrule's relationship with the tribe because they'll trust me better, I'm sure of it. There's so much distrust towards the Gerudo, and with good reasons I'm sure, but maybe I can better help your goal of uniting Hyrule more than me sitting her talking to you. Not that I don't like it! I mean I love talking with you- or, well, maybe not love... I very much like discussing stuff and, ah...""

Zelda just sat there smiling at him, watching him fumble with his words and becoming increasingly red in the face, while in thought before she tapped the armrest of her chair and slowly nodded. With a perk of her slender eyebrow, she said, "I must admit, Link, that I had hoped that you would show eagerness with the Gerudo, for I too believe that a better relationship with the tribe must be established. What better way to do this than for the Hero of Hyrule to be our ambassador?"

"Ambassador? I, wait. So… you're saying that…?"

"I'm asking, Link, if you will be our official ambassador to the Gerudo and in doing so, perhaps you just may be accepted into their ranks and be taught their skills. What say you?"

Following a moment of confusion, a wide grin spread on Link's face and with a loud clap he exclaimed, "I say yes! Of course!"

Chuckling at his antics, Zelda held up a finger before saying, "Though your training with Sir Faris comes first."

"Obviously," Link admitted with his own chuckle before Zelda changed the subject and inquired how his training was doing.

Following that discussion, Link's life became even more chaotic with his knighthood training, being Hyrule's ambassador to the Gerudo and Queen Zelda's representative, and then also trying to fit meals and sleep into his day. Captain Jerret had cautioned Link that perhaps he was pursuing too much at one time and that he would quickly wear himself down, but Link wanted to keep busy and to push himself further. Unfortunately, it only took a short amount of time for Sir Faris to begin complaining that Link wasn't performing his best in training and for the Gerudo to take notice at how haggard and rough his appearance was becoming when he met with them.

To Faris, Link only asked to be pushed harder and that the knight would not hear any complaint from him. To Nabila, Link said to her, "I may come tired, bleeding, bruised, or beaten but I never will be too busy to meet with you as promised."

His answers seemed to satisfy and perhaps impress both knight and warrior woman.

With time Link grew accustomed to the hectic and hard lifestyle he had taken on and his skills improved, though the Hylian was not the only person in Hyrule with a full schedule. Queen Zelda had a number of projects that she was overseeing and some of which she often asked for Link's opinion on, hence their frequent discussions. One of the first things that Link saw the Queen have completed that she had commissioned was a monument in memoriam to those who had fallen in the Battle of the Throne and Zant's Invasion, which included those massacred in Kakariko Village and the death of the Zora's queen. The monument itself was a work of art: a grand pyramid of obsidian, ten feet high, to represent the Twilight that had descended upon Hyrule and upon the pyramid was every inhabitant's name engraved in white alabaster. In addition, Zelda had commissioned the creation of a smaller monument in dedication to none other than Midna, Princess of the Twilight, for her involvement in the salvation of Hyrule and her near sacrifice to help protect it from Ganondorf. The reveal of the tribute had brought tears to Link's eyes because it was a sculpture of the complete Fused Shadow, drawn from memory by Zelda herself for the sculptor.

The memorials were well received and it was during their unveiling that Queen Zelda announced that along with the reconstruction of the Castle, work also would begin on the defensive walls that would encompass Hyrule Field from Castle Town's south, west and east gates, ensuring an extra line of defence. In the eastern section of Hyrule Field, a permanent road would be built to connect the path fro Kakariko Village and Death Mountain with Castle Town, promising a secure trade and travel route for inhabitants that would have a constant presence from Hyrulean Soldiers. Zelda continued by announcing the building of a large ranch that would occupy nearly the whole of the eastern field with thick gates being installed on either end of Eldin Bridge.

Such extensive undertakings that the queen promised would be expensive and the nobility complained as much. In response, Queen Zelda ordered the mandatory tax of the noble houses to give up a percent of their gold and jewels while Zelda herself nearly emptied the Castle's treasury to quell any further arguments. While living in Castle Town, Link had quickly learned that he did not like any of the nobility, whom he considered pompous, snobbish, and dangerously conniving. Link preferred to refrain from conversing with any of them, choosing rather to focus on his own training and duties than indulge in gossip or the flirtations from the noblewomen or the endless inquires from the noblemen. It didn't take long for Link's presence in Castle Town to circulate and before he knew it, the hero found himself to be the most eligible bachelor in all of Hyrule. Every noble house wanted him to marry their daughter and even if marriage wasn't on their minds, Link was pretty sure that each woman at least wanted to visit his bed, a thought that both terrified and embarrassed him. Apparently having the Saviour of Hyrule as a son-in-law was a big deal and Link found the politics of it all irritating.

The pursuit of his name and loins only increased when Link finally achieved knighthood.

Under Sir Faris' tutelage Link excelled in his training and just shy of his second year of being a squire, the Hylian had mastered all of the knight's teachings and was told that he was ready to take on his final tests. For days following this announcement, Link continued to train to ensure that he would pass his tests on his first try. Stress was beginning to wear on his mentality and Zelda told him to take a break and have a week to gather himself before he endured the so-called "Knight Examinations." Link agreed and took her advice, taking Epona out and simply traveled around Hyrule, camping out beneath the stars, checking up on the building of the defence walls, and enjoying being out on the move without any duties. Aside from his training and ambassadorial responsibilities, Link hadn't much been able to spend time with his mare, especially given the fact that not long after Link had moved into Castle Town he had found out that Epona was pregnant.

After the pregnancy was realized and upon further investigation, because Link had been furious, it was theorized that when the silver bay mare had been moved from the town's stables to the castle's, she had mistakenly been penned right next to Captain Jerret's charger and the stallion had made short work with the fence and covered Epona. The captain of the guard had seen that those responsible with the horses were punished while Link struggled with his earlier fear of losing Epona of her being in foal and thus being unable to be his mount. It had been Zelda to pull Link aside and help him see that not only would Epona make a great mother and that any colt she bore would be as legendary as its mother but also with Hyrule entering a new era of peace and rebuilding, a birth would be a fine way to begin.

"You truly are wise, Zelda," Link had said quietly, relenting to her advice upon more reflection that Epona's pregnancy ought not to be perceived as a burden but as a gift of life. Still, it took a good few weeks for Link to get over being annoyed.

When Epona went into labour about eleven months later, Link was present to help with the foaling and even pulled the baby from his mother. The foal was a colt with a black coat like his sire but had inherited his dam's white mane, tail, and feathers. When the queen came out to meet the foal, Link had given her an offer.

"My queen, I mean Zelda… Ah, I appreciate all that you've done for me thus far, I hope that you know that. But you know, when I was fourteen I bought Epona as a filly and trained her myself. I found that there's a certain kind of feeling of achievement and worth from training your own horse and it helped me grow past a few things that were still weighing me down. So now with this colt, I was thinking of giving him to, umm, you actually, if you want him of course."

"Me?"

"Well, yeah," Link said with a shrug, leaning his arms against the temporary fence of the pasture, chin on his arms, as he and the queen watched Epona and her son. "I thought that once that colt's old enough, I could help you train him so he'll become your mount, one you can trust as much as I trust Epona."

Zelda had stared at him for a moment, rousing a blush in Link's cheeks and he pointedly stared forward at the horses, but he glanced at her when he saw her smile in his peripheral. Looking on at the colt, she said, "I'll name him Arion," before she met his gaze, and Link smiled in reply.

Resting his head against Epona's belly, Link opened his eyes and the memory drifted away as he lounged in the grass of Hyrule Field while his mare lay behind him, napping. Zelda had asked him to take a week to prepare mentality for his Knight Examinations and tonight he would be returning to Castle Town. Arion, a yearling now, had begun training with Zelda herself halter-breaking him in and forming a bond with the colt under Link and Jerret's guidance. Zelda had been around horses all her life but hadn't trained one herself and had taken to Arion and his training as a source of escape from her royal responsibilities. Link didn't blame her, the queen worked almost as hard as he did and the hero admired her dedication to her land and people.

Leaning up for a moment to remove his hat, Link set his head back against Epona, rousing a sleepy nicker from the mare, and the Hylian idly looked over the material of his green cap, thinking. He thought of Zelda, of the Hero of Time, all that Sir Faris had taught him, and a dozen other things. His twentieth birthday was in a week and with his graduation into knighthood, Zelda had promised a grand celebration to commemorate his inauguration into the Hylian Knights, as well as Link formally joining the Royal Guard, and his birthday. Link was horrified by this announcement and Zelda had laughed at his expression much to his chagrin.

Exactly what the Knight Examinations entailed was a mystery until Link actually began them. Normally, squires needed to be at least twenty-one to be ready to be knighted but even Sir Faris admitted that Link's natural skill with the sword, his advanced knowledge of fighting, his keen understanding and experience of being able to handle himself in battle and how fast Link had been able to learn and utilize warfare, siege and military tactics and strategy had impressed the seasoned knight more than once. Link was naturally quiet and when it came to academic stuff, he knew that he wasn't the brightest but give him a mock battle plan or siege strategy and things just made sense and Link was taking command of the room with a strong voice. The Hylian found it easy to visualize the movement of battalions, anticipate possible counter-attacks, and memorizing strategies took minimal effort.

The setting of the sun had ushered Link to saddle up Epona and return to Castle Town, nerves in his stomach, for the next day.

Sir Faris had hinted what the tests for knighthood vaguely once or twice, had eluded hat they would push Link to his limit and test his every skill, and would be the most arduous task he had ever endured, so it was safe to say that the moments before the trial Link was fidgety. The Knight Examinations would take place in Castle Town Square, in front of where everyone could see and how the tests remained a secret Link had no idea but the thought of being in front of all those people was enough for his heart to race. The Hylian sat in the Queen's residence, outside he could hear the roar of the exited crowd, and the comforting weight of the Master Sword and Hylian Shield upon his back was all the young man had to keep him from losing his calm. Finally when Link was called, he took a deep breath, hardened his nerve, stood and stepped outside.

To be met by roaring applause.

The day was sunny, bright and warm, and for a moment Link was stunned by the sharp brightness and the sudden assault of noise in his ears. Stumbling forward in confusion while he followed two of his fellow guardsmen, Link came to a stop when he saw Zelda and Captain Jerret standing there waiting for him midway up the path which lead to the bridge of the castle. Sir Faris, who stood with his one hand upon his sword, grinned smugly down at Link with an expression that clearly read that he was trying not to laugh. In shock, Link took a wary step back and accidentally bumped into a guardsman, who gently pushed him forward to walk with a small chuckle that thickened the blush in Link's cheeks. As it turned out, there were no final tests, no excruciatingly difficult tasks to complete, except to be knighted and the week Link had taken off was long enough for preparations for the ceremony to be made. Coming before Zelda and Faris, Link's expression clearly showed his annoyance, relief and disbelief while his grin expressed his overwhelmingly sense of astonishment.

"You complete and wonderful sonofabitch of an asshole…" Link chocked out with a chuckle and Faris just laughed heartily with a mischievous look in his eyes.

When the crowd quieted, Zelda addressed her people and had Link draw the Master Sword and knelt. Sir Faris then had him recite the Oath of Chivalry before Zelda had him take his oath and swear himself into knighthood before she touched each of his shoulders with the tip of a ceremonial sword and when he stood with the rise of the roaring crowd, Link was a Knight of Hyrule and would henceforth be known as "Sir Link". His training had taken less than two years and any '_tests_' that he needed to overcome Link did so without knowing, passing them under Sir Faris' watchful eye. The celebration of Link achieving knighthood lasted a full two days, only to be rekindled tenfold on his twentieth birthday and just as she had promised, Zelda publicly accepted him into her Royal Guard and named him, as her knight, the Personal Guard to the Queen. Merriment endured for a full week in Castle Town before life returned to normal and work on the castle, walls and ranch resumed.

Over the next three years, progress continued throughout the land of Hyrule for all of its inhabitants. The Zora saw the marriage of King Ralis to his bride, Rupali, and the royal pair was expecting their first child in the upcoming summer. The Gorons were prospering as well, with their constant presence in aiding Hyrule with the construction projects and having also established a healthy trade route for their goods, like minerals and spring water, to sell in Hyrule Market. Kakariko Village had nearly returned to full operation and had once again become a bustling community with Barnes' Bombs expanding from a booming business, no pun intended, and the grand reopening of Elde Inn. The extensive walls surrounding Hyrule Field have been completed and gained the title of _'The Fence,'_ with a width of six feet and a height of twenty feet. Such a feat was due in part with Link himself, whose relationship with the Gorons had strengthened over the years since he freed their Goron Patriarch, Darbus, from a curse of the Twilight. Having been fully embraced as a Goron '_brother_', Link has spent many hours with the tribe as a diplomat and friend.

Link's ambassadorial duties with the Gerudo became limited once he became a knight for his true duty was to remain by Zelda's side; however, it was the queen who insisted that he should continue to visit the tribe of women, seeing as how Link still wished to earn enough of the Gerudo's trust in order to train with them. Nabila held a healthy resentment towards the Hyruleans and only tolerated Link's presence for the sake of the treaty. However, his persistence, determination, and strength did impress the woman and steadily she allowed him to begin to spar with some of the women. The Gerudo fought with glaive-like weapons and scimitars, blades Link found difficult to fight against with the Master Sword, mainly due to the Gerudo's famous speed and litheness. The Hylian was more than able to hold his own but he did struggle and needed to work harder to ensure that his calf wasn't slashed or something. The completion of the Gerudo fortress was met with great celebration for it meant that the tribe could begin to rear children once again. That was a topic of unease and Link was well aware that the Gerudo were hoping for a male child who would mark the arrival of a new king while the Hyrulean nobility were wary of another Ganondorf-like figure. Relations were tense to say the least but Link truly believed, and would tell Zelda as much, that the Gerudo would not face another situation that would have them banished and ranks depleted as had happened with Ganondorf, for the tribe's existence depended on it.

"That reminds me, I need to mention to Zelda that Nabila needs more blankets for the babies…"

Pausing with his long shirt pulled halfway down his bare torso, Link frowned and began biting at his lower lip to hurry up because if he wasted anymore time he was going to be late and the Hylian hated being late. Pulling on his chain mail before his green tunic and belt before quickly pulling on his leather boots lined with rabbit fur for the cold and grabbed his gloves. Tugging on his green cap, smothering his wild light brown locks, he headed for the door and grabbed the Master Sword and shield from their places on a table. Slipping the sheathed blade and shield upon his back, Link donned the thick and large, deep crimson cape that hung from his shoulders but draped low from his neck so he could still easily access his sword while remaining warm in the winter's cold. Slipping on the leather gloves snuggly over his gauntlets, the hero made one final take to make sure he was appropriately attired before exiting the room.

Closing his door behind him, Link's boots echoed down the firelight hall and when he met a guard, the knight would dip his head slightly in greeting and be met by a simple, "Sir Link". Even months after having moved into the now reconstructed, reinforced and fortified castle, Link still found it hard to adjust to being waited on and held in such high respect, though most of that came from being knighted on top of his heroism. Still, having servants, personal chefs, butlers and alike was a completely different world than the one Link grew up in so, if he could help it at least, the hero tried to keep his life as simple as possible. The walls were decorated moderately with portraits of royalty, fantastic scenes and tapestries but the man paid none of them any attention. Link's quarters were within the west wing of Hyrule Castle, along with the queen's, which was understandable seeing his position. As Personal Guard to the Queen and her royal knight, it was expected that the Hylian didn't leave Zelda's side so he was obligated to room near hers but Link had made a stand to prefer a smaller and simpler room. Just because he was living in a castle now, didn't mean he needed to surround himself with finery and lavishness, it just didn't suit Link. The knight came to a grand staircase and descended quickly down the steps, his cape billowing out behind him, he kept his fast pace once he reached the bottom. Down halls and taking turns, speeding up to a jog in places before finally he came to a set of doors that were opened for him by a pair of guards.

With the door open, the winter's chill greeted Link with a cool kiss upon his cheek and a few drifting snowflakes on his hair. Pulling his cape more around his arms, Link proceeded forward down the path, snow and slush scrunching beneath his boots, towards the castle's stables. The sun had yet to fully breach the tops of the curtain walls and the grey day cast a dim glow across the snow grounds but he crimson-cloaked figure of a hero walked directly towards the firelight of the stables situated in the shadow of the massive walls. Waiting for him was a slim figure clad in a long and elegant, light-blue cloak with the hood drawn up to obscure the person's face; the blue-cloaked figure was standing next to a tall and young black stallion and was stroking the steed's nose. Link jogged up with a smile on his face to slide to a stop before the person.

"Morning! Sorry I'm late, I-"

"Slept in. It's all right, I figured as much so I had Epona saddled for you."

Zelda turned to her knight with a smile on her delicate lips and a fine eyebrow arched in amusement. Link chuckled and shrugged with bashfulness and closed the few feet between them to stand right next to her. Arion, Zelda's mount and Epona's son, paid the hero no attention but continued to nuzzle his mistress affectionately, at least until the clops of approaching hooves announced the arrival of his mother. Epona quickly left behind the stable hand leading her and trotted up to meet Link with a nuzzle of her own before turning to greet her colt. Link and Zelda watched silently the two horses meet before the queen turned to face her knight.

"How is your shoulder today?"

"Oh! Fine, really," Link said, catching her eye and emphasized his words by rolling his wounded shoulder, "You really only grazed it so there's nothing to worry about, like I told you yesterday."

Zelda sighed and slightly rolled his eyes, not wanting to engage in the same conversation the pair have had a dozen or more times already in the past, but the smile tugged at her lips loosened her tongue. "Hero, knight, and Hyrulean Soldier, yet you were bested with the sword by none other than your queen."

"Hey," Link interjected, pointing a finger at her with a grin on his lips, "You only won because for one thing, I'm a great teacher, and another being that I was going easy on you."

"Yes, I am sure," Zelda replied meeting his eye and reaching up to pinch his gloved finger between hers, "Though you will have to try harder than that to change the minds of all the men who saw me win, " before she lightly pulled his finger down and patted his hand.

Link's expression was fighting between continuing their friendly spat, laughing, and competitive annoyance before he simply lifted his chin to look down at the woman, sporting a triumphant and stubborn smile to beam down at her. "Fine. Next time I won't go so easy on you and we'll see how well your training is truly going."

A gentle prod to his stomach deflated Link's bravado and he chuckled, dramatically rubbing where Zelda and poked him. For nearly five years the Hylian had spent with the queen, now completely comfortable calling her by name even in proper settings, and the pair have developed a deep and close friendship. Around Link, Zelda was able to act more playfully, casually, and less formally than what would normally be required from her and in return, Link was able to be himself without having to act like a stern, serious, and honourable knight. Basically, if Link dared to call Zelda "my Lady" or "Your Majesty," she either would glare at him, ignore him, or if the moment called for it, hit him gently to emphasize that really, she did not like being remained that she was queen around him. The majority of Hyrule saw their queen as proper, elegant, graceful and above all wise and while she indeed had all of these fine qualities amongst others, she also was a young woman who had a sense of humour and longed for moments of freedom from her gilded cage of royalty. One such outlet that Zelda often enjoyed to get away from her royal duties was a regular ride with Link around Hyrule Field.

On this fine and snowy morning the queen was adorned in warm knee-high boots, brown riding breeches and a dark blue frock coat beneath her cloak with her arms sheathed in the thick material of a white chemise. Her long brunette hair was hanging off her right shoulder in a thick braid and her fair face remained as beautiful as ever even without any jewels or her ornate crown. Simply put, the monarch looked as stunning as ever and Link knew that he would never hear her complain about the weather or if she got dirty or something, for he was very much aware that the slender woman was much tougher than her appearance revealed. In the snowy landscape, Zelda's blue attire subtly stood out while Link's green and crimson were a dramatic comparison. Letting his eyes admire her presence for a moment too long, the queen looked up at him with a curious look

"Ready?" Link asked, turning to stroke Epona's muzzle.

"You were the one that was late." Zelda reminded him before she gracefully mounted Arion to look down at him, "Are you?"

Shaking his head with a chuckle, giving her that one, Link also mounted up and gripped Epona's reigns, nudging the mare forward with Zelda falling into his stride. The pair of riders headed out of the palace grounds and crossed the bridge spanning the castle's moat, their horses' hooves echoing on the stone. As they descended into Hyrule Town and passed guards and townspeople, all of whom bowed to their queen respectably. Link couldn't help but wave at a group of children who rushed out to wave and grin up at him in awe before their mother gently scolded them for ignoring the queen entirely. Link only chuckled and glanced over at Zelda, who was smiling kindly to all with a proper seat and posture of decorum. In comparison to such propriety, Link was smiling and laughing like a fool all the way until they came to the West Gate. Upon their arrival, the pair of guards posted at the doors pulled them open before bowing to the queen and Hyrule's hero. Waiting for the doors to fully open, Link kicked Epona forward into a smooth canter with Arion following suit after his mother. The pair of horses made their way over the new stone bridge that had replaced its simple wooden predecessor. Touching solid ground again, Link reigned in Epona to a walk for even in the early morning, a Goron and tradesmen occupied the walled trade road that lead to Kakariko Village and in greeting the Goron called out to Link with a hearty "Brother!" to which Link returned accordingly.

"I thought we could visit Lonna Ranch before heading over the Eldin, then we'll make our around to the West Gate today," Link offered to Zelda while merchants bowed their way past to head into town.

"Wanting to visit Colin are you?" Zelda asked while she was busy adjusting the front of her frock and cloak but her tone knew his intentions.

"Well… I, ah," Link stammered, only ending with a shrug that Zelda may not have even seen but the friends had been together long enough that the woman was well aware of how the knight's head worked and he heard her soft chuckle.

Last summer, Colin had arrived in Castle Town and eventually he was directed to Link who received his old friend in a hearty hug. The boy had grown admirably, gaining a layer of muscle from having taking up Link's old duties are Ordon Ranch but the fifteen-year-old had left his forested home to seek out the Hyrulean capital and his old friend. Through all of the jubilance and catching-up between the two men, Colin admitted a shocker to the knight as to why he had truly journeyed from the safety of Ordon, though it wasn't all that surprising once Link thought about it afterwards. Colin was in love with Beth, another Ordonian, and in order to court her properly the teenager wanted to enlist for a two-year duty with the Hyrulean Soldiers to learn how to fight and save up his wages. He already had a house, his inheritance from Link, he just needed the money to be able to start a life together independent from his parents. To Colin, what better why to achieve this than to ask your old friend and knight of Hyrule to help out? Link had considerable sway understandably with the Hyrulean Soldiers and excitedly set Colin on the right track, even gaining him a position at Lonna Ranch, the brand-new and vastly huge set of stables, buildings, huge pastures and corrals that occupied the eastern and largest portion of Hyrule Field, while being safely surrounded by the Fence. Due to Colin's experience and affiliation with horses, the ranch seemed the best place to send the teen after he had passed basic training.

"I was actually thinking that we could go to Lake Hylia," the queen finally admitted after a moment, looking over at Link and the rider were close enough that their legs nearly touched.

"Well," Link began, glancing up at the sun, "You should've said that while we still were in town, then we would've used the West Gate."

"What? Not up for a longer ride?"

The man blinked and watched his queen leave his side and trot her stallion forward before he grinned and nudged Epona to follow. Soon his mare fell into stride with Zelda's younger steed, which had just reached adulthood but seemed to have inherited his mother's patient temperament while gaining his father's strength. There had been concern from her advisers that Zelda ought to ride a more experienced, more trustworthy mount until the stallion had aged a bit more, but Zelda had politely refused. Having trained the colt herself with the help of Link, Zelda was the only rider Arion would allow, for even Link had a difficult time controlling the charger. Arion was kept near his mother and if or when the younger horse did step out of line, especially with Zelda riding him, Epona had in the past stepped in to discipline her son and maintain an alpha mare composure.

For the next hour or so, Link and Zelda rode in silence as they travelled along the southern edge of the Eastern Field, exited through the gate of the Fence, and continued further south. Once the riders rode out into the wide-open space of field did they slow their mounts to a walk in order to talk comfortably. All around them Hyrule had been saturated of colour and white dominated the mountains, hills, rocks and barren trees. It had been years since the majority of the country had been covered in snow and there was no denying the fact that it was beautiful. The moisture in the air promised more snow, just as Link had assumed that morning and midway through the field did the sky finally gave birth to millions of snowflakes. With little wind to disturb them, the falling snow came down softly in big, fluffy flakes that settled lightly on Link and Zelda's cloaks and their horses' manes.

"Even with such unseasonal cold, beauty persists," Link heard Zelda muse and he smiled in agreement, looking over at her.

"Yeah, it is nice, though all of this snow will make for a wet and difficult spring."

"True," the woman whispered, though her knight caught her subtle sigh as the cold exposed the mists of her breath. "The mud will make planting difficult if we don't get enough heat to dry up the soil."

Frowning, Link furrowed his brow and wet his lips but remained quiet. He disliked seeing Zelda even marginally upset or distraught, preferring the lightness of their friendship, the laughter and the honesty. Being Queen of Hyrule and overseeing numerous projects, citizens, treaties, delegations, the hounding of the nobility, and twenty more other issues meant that there were loads of stressful weight on Zelda's shoulders and as her friend, Link tried his best and hardest to keep her smiling because, that's what friends did. The more Link had gotten to know Zelda, spent time with her and earned her trust, his sense of loyalty had matured over the years into a burning dedication that consumed him, ensuring that if any danger dared to threaten her that he, as her knight, her guard and lastly as her friend, would do anything to protect her. Since his knighting, Link had gained the authority to train Zelda himself with the sword to better protect herself and if the wound on his shoulder was any indication, she was a force to be reckoned with in a sword fight.

Riding closer that his boot brushed hers, Link coaxed Zelda to look at him and meet his smile. His grin ever being infectious, Zelda's lips twitched upwards as her blue eyes met his. A moment of connection passed between them and Link's grin softened a bit, but the moment ended quickly when Zelda kicked Arion's sides to make the stallion bolt forward into an easy canter and forcing Link to chase after her across the white landscape.

On such a beautiful and peaceful day, it seemed at the time so improbable that anything bad could happen. Peace had returned to Hyrule and happiness flourished as was shown in the smiles of Zelda and Link, though neither of them could have guessed just how terrible such a wonderful day could become.


	5. Chapter Five: Eyes

"It's so peaceful here... don't you agree? So quiet, no people, only the wind. I'm really glad we were able to do this today."

"Yeah, it is nice."

"I never knew Hyrule, which is usually so green, could be so white. It's beautiful… it's like a dream."

Link smiled a bit when he saw Zelda sigh a plume of misty breath into the air, glad to see the woman relaxed. The knight's eyes watched the whisper of his queen's sigh drift on the breeze until it disappeared into the great expanse of space that fell before the pair of Hylians. Snow continued to drift slowly down from the sky to produce a natural theatre of thousands of delicate dancers, each performing their own routine with the soft breeze being their dance partners, and Zelda and Link seemed to be the sole patrons to such an extravagant show. Link rested his gloved hands on the cold stone of the wall of the Great Bridge of Hylia watching the snow, with Zelda aside him doing the same. Their horses idly stood a few feet away on the northern side of the bridge, waiting for their riders patiently and giving Epona a chance to groom her son's neck.

Link would admit that he was less interested in the falling snow and scenery as Zelda was but never would she hear him complain or anything. He understood how much she truly enjoyed being out of the castle and in the actual world without being waited on or asked to sign yet another document or something. Instead, Link was more interested in idly dragging his finger through the snow upon the wall to draw swirls and uncover the stones of the bridge. Where he swept away the snow in places however, he could swear that he could smell the lingering pungent odour of oil as if it had seeped deep into the crevices of the masonry. In fact upon further investigation, Link found a couple of scorch marks of past fire in spots.

Thumbing the blackened stones idly, he smiled slightly.

"Did I ever tell you about the first time I ever crossed this bridge?" Link asked before he pulled himself up onto the ledge of the bridge's wall to sit and look down at Zelda, his thick cape protecting the backs of his legs from feeling the bite of the stones' chill.

"No, I don't believe you have. Or was it the time you battled against the leader of the Bulblins?"

Zelda looked up at him with a soft smile, having told Link before that she enjoyed hearing tales of his adventures, to know where he's been and what he's seen. The woman came closer beside him, set her forearms upon the bridge's wall, and pulled back her hood to expose her soft brunette hair to the falling snow. Link grinned a little wider, thinking of that particular event when he faced King Bulblin upon the bridge, and shook his head as he took one of his gloves off to sweep his bangs out from his eyes. He would need a haircut soon.

"No, no… that was my second voyage across the bridge to my luck, when I had been escorting Telma, Ilia, and the King Ralis when he had taken ill." Looking from Zelda to gaze down at the long length of the bridge over his shoulder, Link took a deep breath and could still recall the choking smell of smoke in his nostrils. "My first time on this bridge I never even got to the other side. It was when I was still a wolf and Midna and I were collecting the Tears of Light for the Light Spirits. We were trying to reach Lake Hylia and the water level had been so low then, because Zora's Domain was frozen solid. I told you about that. Anyways, she and I were needing to cross but as soon as I came to the bridge, I smelt a thick and strong scent. I tried to stop but Midna pushed me forward until she finally smelt it as well. Turns out, the Bulblins had slicked the entire bridge in oil and once we were midway across, they trapped us by setting both sides alight".

Pausing to look over the bridge's edge and down at Lake Hylia far below, Link chuckled slightly as he faintly made out the water's frozen edges while the main body of the lake remained open water. "Midna and I had no choice but to jump and as I recall, Midna called Lake Hylia a 'puddle' when we landed in the water ."

Smiling wider at his words and the memory, Link shivered a bit and looked down at Zelda who was looking up at him with her soft smile, though he could see amusement dancing in her brilliant blues. The knight nodded and looked away slightly, a tinge of heartache in his chest, and tried to brush it off with a grin. Even after five years he still missed Midna, a lot. Zelda was well aware of his feelings because she shared some of them, for the queen missed the Twilight Princess as well. A moment of thoughtful silence passed between the Hylians that neither of them felt the need to break and were both comfortable with. Link stared down at the snowy stones of the bridge with a smirk peeking out from his lips as he recalled Midna's mischievous giggle. When movement caught his peripheral, he looked over to watch Zelda smooth away the snow from her hair.

Link smiled a bit wider and his thoughts began to drift. Before he was fully aware of it, Zelda looked aside at him to see him staring and he just blinked, caught.

A nicker from Arion broke the silence and moment and Zelda looked over quickly at her young stallion before sighing.

"We should start heading back."

"You sure? I thought you said that you didn't have to do much today? Or are you getting cold?" Link asked, mentally kicking himself for some reason or another, but grinned his usual smile all the same.

Zelda glanced back up at Link, whose teasing tone masked true concern, before she stepped away from the wall and pulled her cloak more around her shoulders. While she took in the surrounding snowy mountains, where beyond in the west lay the grand territory of the Great Desert, she replied in a softer tone, "No, I'm not cold and I don't have any appointments today, but I want to get back to riding and to the castle before dark."

"Then what's the rush?"

"I'm not sure… I just have a bad feeling. Maybe I am getting a bit cold."

"Well, okay then," Link said nodding slowly, glancing up at the grey sky before he hopped down from the wall and came to stand beside his queen, crossing his arms. A frown threatened his grin after hearing that Zelda was feeling uneasy but not wanting to worry her more if she was already, he resorted back to teasing. "Just remember, we would have had more time out here if we had left from the western-"

The light blow to his gut cut off Link's words and his own bout of laughter swallowed the end of his sentence as Zelda walked away. He followed after the queen, who was shaking her head and hiding her own smile, back to their tethered horses. Zelda easily vaulted into Arion's saddle to find her seat and Link came up to lean against the stallion's flank to smirk up at the woman. "It's true what they say, that the truth hurts," he said as he pointedly rubbed his gut, to which Zelda only smiled and laughed lightly.

"Enough with the theatrics, Link. Come on now. The wind's beginning to pick up I think," she said shaking her head, took Arion's reigns into her hands, and nudged the stallion aside to momentarily unbalance Link from his position. Chuckling, the knight quickly mounted up himself and Epona caught up with Zelda to continue northward to Hyrule Field of Lower Lanayru. It didn't take long, a few minutes at most, for Link to coax Zelda from her playfully pretending to ignore him. Zelda finally laughed after Link began to whistle one of the tunes he had learnt from the Howling Stones as a wolf with exaggerated pouted lips.

The pair of friends returned to their normal course of conversation with Link retelling the details of when he met the Light Spirit Lanayru after he and Midna had collected all of the Tears of Light. He went on to say how the spirit had taught Link about the creation of the Triforce, the Fused Shadows, and the Hyrulean Civil War, which the Hero of Time had himself mentioned to Link. When they were alone together as close as they were now, Link had always found that he could talk very easily with Zelda and reveal details to her about his adventures that he would be hesitant to say or not tell at all to other people. Zelda understood Link on a level that enabled her to relate to him because of their connections with the goddesses and Triforce. Link knew that no one else would so easily be able to understand and it brought them both closer as friends. Consequentially, Zelda was the only person whom he had told about the Hero's Shade and the explicit details of what he had been told by the Light Spirits and about the Triforce. The Hylian Queen enjoyed hearing his stories and gave her insightful opinions and knowledge about the Triforce in order to help Link fill in any blanks and questions he might have had. Zelda knew a lot about the Triforce, having been tutored by the Ancient Sages themselves, and also from being a guardian of the Triforce of Wisdom. The Queen remained Link's key teacher when dealing with the intricate workings of the goddesses, the history of Hyrule, the lore of the Triforce, and the magnitude of Link's own position as the Hero Chosen by the Gods.

"I keep wanting to read up more on the Civil War, but I keep forgetting to."

"Well, the castle's library has a lot of books on the subject. I can show you when we get back if you'd like. I wouldn't mind refreshing myself on the history as well, to be honest. There's also the archives too."

"What about them?"

"Well… if what you say is true about your predecessor, there might be a possibility that there might be records of his family."

"I doubt it and even if there was, how'd I know? I don't even know the Hero of Time's real name..."

"Well, there's nothing wrong in perhaps looking you know, Link… Link?"

Zelda paused when she saw the knight's raised hand, a silent signal for silence.

The riders had just ridden through a slight curve that was followed by a split in the trail when Zelda paused with her words. Following Link's line of sight, Zelda looked ahead at the fork in the road, with the left trail leading to Upper Lanayru and the right leading to the western face of the Fence and Castle Town, and she frowned. Link reigned in for Epona to stop, Arion following suit, and his trained gaze surveyed the surrounding rocks quickly before returning to the huddled group of figures that were positioned on the right side of the fork, thus blocking their path. From what he could see through the falling snow, Link counted four Bulblins on the ground with two on a Bulbo, all barking in their gruff language. From reading their body language, it seemed that none of the creatures had taken notice of the pair of horses… for now. Bulblins were dense and stupid brutes but that did not mean that they weren't deadly. Even though Link knew he could take them all on, he did not want to draw attention to Zelda by doing something brash.

Catching the queen's eye, Link relied on Epona's experience and senses to alert him if there were any other enemies in proximity while he removed his left glove and slowly pulled back his cloak to reach his belt. With practiced fingers, the knight reached into one of his magical pouches to retrieve his Hero's Bow and quiver. Never once did Link have to 'search' for the item he was seeking from the pouches, but simply having the item in mind was enough for it to suddenly come to his hand from the endless depths of the magical belt. Neither did Link understand the belt's magic nor did he question it, but simply he accepted it. In his peripheral, Link noted Zelda reign Arion in to take a few steps back to position Link to be more in front and so his vantage point was unhindered by the stallion. Slipping the quiver over his head to hang off his shoulder, Link reached up to draw a Bomb Arrow and fit the arrow's nock into the bowstring, never taking his eyes off of his targets. Two Bomb Arrows would be more than enough to take out the bastards and he knew that the resulting blasts would alert the soldiers positioned at the Fence to come, thus ensuring that Zelda would remain safe. Drawing back the bowstring to touch his lips, arrowhead armed and aimed for the Bulblins, Link took the moment to glance at Zelda to find her already looking at him. She nodded in silent understanding and tightened her hold on Arion's reigns. Link knew that she could see his concern that the young horse might spook at the explosions and he did not want Arion to bolt.

Taking a steadying breath, Link focused on his target and released his arrow.

A second later the Bomb Arrow exploded and the bloodcurdling death shrieks and cries of the Bulblins mixed with the terrified roar of the Bulbo filled the rocky path. Snow and bits of rocks sprayed into the air while the surviving Bulblins tried to flee, scrambling over the torn bodies of their fallen kind, but already Link was drawing back another Bomb Arrow and let it fly directly at the aflame monstrous pig flailing on its side. Another successful blast filled the trail and obliterated the massive boar. Epona remained unfazed by the fire and blasts, though Arion danced and snorted nervously and Link knew that it was only Zelda's firm hand and the calming presence of his mother that kept the stallion from doing anything drastic. Link watched on as the remaining Bulblins howled and moaned disturbingly in distress before collapsing and dissipating into dark fumes. Link warily kept his arm at his shoulder, fingers pinching another arrow, ready to nock a third if needed but with a couple more bursts of darkness, the last of the Bulblins died and disappeared.

Silence enveloped the trail once again, aside from the nervous stamp of Arion's shoed hooves. The wind brushed Link's bangs across his narrowed eyes and slowly, he lowered his left hand but kept his bow against his leg, at the ready. Unease twisted his stomach and his instincts warned him that something was wrong and shifting his blue eyes, the knight surveyed the surrounding rocks and path once again. Only when something brushed his foot did Link suddenly look over to see Zelda beside him and he noticed her hand settled on the small blade that she kept at her thigh.

"Efficient work, my knight," she said, breaking the silence, expression indifferent. She relaxed her hold on the weapon to grip her reigns, the leather creaking from her nervous grip.

"Yeah, thanks, but are you all right? You look… shaken."

"I'm fine, it's just the cold getting to me."

Link admired how tough Zelda was but he could still tell that she was unsettled by the violence. He knew that she trusted him with her life, he had saved her already before, but all the same he could tell that his friend was tense. Five years was a fair amount of time to get to know someone and Link found out that Zelda wasn't really afraid of much, thunderstorms unsettled her sometimes, but the trauma she endured from Zant and his Invasion was too great for her to entirely hide all the time.

For a moment, Link dared to reach out and lay his hand on her shoulder. Squeezing a bit in comfort and forcing her to look at him, he smiled to silently reassure her. Zelda glanced at him before she looked down but her silence confirmed her gratitude and Link noted how her hands relaxed.

A moment or so later, Link removed his hand and returned to the task at hand. "It ought to be safe now but that was just… weird."

"Weird?"

"Yeah… It feels wrong."

"What feels wrong?

"This. I mean, with us being here. It's not making any sense."

"How so?"

"Don't you feel it... too?"

Link looked at Zelda, slightly alarmed that her tone was steadily becoming steelier and he trailed off his question, unsure. Catching her narrowed gaze however, he instinctively flinched away. Zelda, as regal as ever, had raised her chin a bit at him with her eyes gently narrowed. It was terrifying. She only did that when she was annoyed. What was this all about? What the hell did he do now? Was it because he put his hand on her shoulder? Even with them being friends there remained a silent understanding that Zelda was still Queen and Link respected that so, it wasn't like she would jump on his back or something like Ilia used to do to him. But really, was she annoyed because of that?

"What I feel about what, Link?" The way she drew you his name's syllable made the knight frown nervously.

"Umm… the Bulblins… Why they were here and all," he said slowly, unsure what he had said to annoy the woman but now he was being careful as to not further encourage her displeasure. Link wet his lips, ready to question the situation, when in a flash, Zelda blinked and looked ahead.

"Oh, right."

Link looked at her, confused as hell. Thinking he saw her bite her lip, a habit she had when she was thinking hard, Link decided it best not to ask and focus on the trail ahead of them. When it came to girls, even queens, Link found it best sometimes to just remain his quiet self. Nudging Epona forward a couple of steps, he drew closer to the fork where the only signs of the Bulblins having ever been there were the scorch marks on the surrounding stones and blackened snow. The Fence had to have been alerted by the explosions and Link expected to be seeing a squadron of Hyrulean soldiers to come and investigate any moment now. Still, things just didn't seem right.

"What I meant," he said, clearing his throat, "was why were they so close to the Fence?" Link asked aloud, eyeing where the creatures had been huddled and motioned for Zelda to come forward. "We've wiped them out from Hyrule Field and the remaining numbers have fled to the mountains. What were these ones doing so close to our defences?"

Zelda didn't say anything, letting the question hang between them.

Arion walked forward with some urging from his mistress to come aside his mother's right flank and the riders slowly walked to the fork. Link decided that he would return later and investigate the site further but his main concern now was getting Zelda safely within the Fence. No Bulblin has been seen within proximity of the newly built walls in over a year and any who dared tread near were shot on sight. The Hylian knight kept his peripheral on the other path of the fork, his mouth set into a hard line, and his grip upon his bow never faltered.

"It just doesn't make sense…" he mumbled before his breath caught.

Time seemed to slow the seconds after Link spoke and adrenaline surged through the knight's body as his eyes flashed in alarm.

The only warning he received that alerted him to the danger was the simple flick of his mare's left ear towards the other side of the fork in the road. Without hesitation, the knight lifted his bow and reached up to draw another arrow. Rather than immediately nock the arrow to the Hero's Bow however, Link used the weapon to smack Arion's black rump with the upper limb. The stallion whinnied in surprise and instinctively bolted forward down the path and towards the Fence. Zelda looked back at Link in surprise and worry but the knight dared not look to meet her eyes, seeing only the billowing mass of her light-blue cloak in his peripheral. In that moment, there was another being who deserved his attention more than the Queen of Hyrule. Following the strike of his bow and without pause, the Hylian then raised his bow to draw back the arrow in his fingertips and turned in the saddle to face the enemy that had hidden itself while Link had slaughtered its comrades. Link's narrowed gaze fell upon the lone opponent that had stepped out from the cover of the other path and the knight instantly realized his mistake.

The Bokoblin whom he faced was a deep shade of sickly purple, almost black, and looked taller than other Bokoblins Link had encountered. Perhaps that was because the creature was standing tall, erect, and undaunted by the horse and rider it faced rather than the haunched posture its kind usually exhibited. Within its hands was a tall bow with a large, black arrow already drawn and at the ready, its tip aimed squarely at the Hylian. Link's mistake became reality when he saw the creature's fingers twitch before his own did to release his arrow, meaning that the Bokoblin's arrow would be fired before his own, which meant that those two seconds or so Link had used to make Arion bolt and get Zelda to safety had given the Bokoblin the time it needed to strike first. Even as he loosened his own arrow and felt the kiss of the bowstring across his lips, the knight knew that there was no way he was going to be able to avoid or deflect his enemy's missile, which was already in the air. Adrenaline was pumping throughout his veins, his breaths came out steady and deep, and his training steeled his body for what was about to come. Unfortunately, no amount of practice could have prepared the hero for the terrible punch of the arrow when it struck his left shoulder. With the blow came the striking force of a horse kick, which sent Link flying from the saddle to land very hard on the ground.

Clenching his teeth against the double impact, the arrow and the fall, Link grunted and groaned when his right shoulder struck rock, he felt his bones rattle, while arrows were strewn from his quiver and his bow skidded a few feet away. The hero braced himself so that he wouldn't roll onto his injured left shoulder but, that meant the side of his head crashed into the ground. An intense ringing filled his ears, dulling his hearing and pain exploded behind his eyes to make his vision a hazy red. Somewhere above him he could make out Epona's panicked whinnies, though they sounded oddly far off, and Link felt the vibrations of his mare's frantic and retreating hooves through the rock. Or, at least, he thought he did. The pain in his head was deafening and a slick and hot wetness was flowing down the right side of his face onto the cold stone burning his cheek. Damn.

Forcing his eyes to narrowly open, Link blearily made out the image of his silver bay mount boldly bringing down her deadly sharp hooves and weight down onto the Bokoblin until the creature burst into a plume of black smoke. Blinking, Link grunted in pain and rolled cautiously onto his back, breathing heavily, before shifting his chin to look over in shock to see the shaft of the black arrow sticking out from his green tunic. He cursed when he saw what looked to be almost a foot and a half of the arrow's shaft sticking out of his shoulder, with its black fletching looking sickly and hastily attached.

Setting his head back on the ground, the knight shut his eyes tight at the jolt of pain that bit at the backs of his eyeballs while crimson blood dripped off his brown hair to colour the white snow. He tried to see if he could move his left arm at all and instantly, red-hot searing pain burst from the wound and Link cried out loudly. Opening his eyes wide, Link took a couple deep breaths but ended up with another strained groan as the heat from the arrow's wound continued to burn, pulsating from the arrowhead. Suddenly, a large muzzle came into view and Link flinched away, rousing another spurt of pain. Epona's snort fluffed Link's hair and he groaned in relief. He reached up with his good arm to take hold of her bridle.

"Epona," he muttered through clenched teeth.

The mare nickered softly at her master and easily helped Link pull himself up into a sitting position just as the stampede of approaching horses with men shouting echoed in the air off the rocks. Leaning against Epona's left foreleg, Link was able to properly see where the arrow had embedded itself into his flesh, puncturing through his chainmail, and blood was already darkening the green of his tunic around the wound. Looking at the arrow's shaft a bit closer, the Hylian saw the glassy reflection of a dark tar-like substance that coated the entire length of the arrow and gave the missile its black colouring. Link's stomach immediately sunk and his expression hardened but his head slumped a bit as another wave of heat erupted from his shoulder and spread more down the length of his arm, forcing him to turn away from the arrow to tensely ride the heat wave of pain. Fighting against the growing pain of the wound and throbbing ache in his head, Link looked up with his bangs shadowing his eyes to watch Arion gallop up the path with soldiers riding up behind him. Zelda nimbly dismounted even before her stallion fully skidded to a stop and while she stumbled, she rushed to Link's fallen figure and fell to her knees at his side.

"Link! Oh, by the goddesses, are you all right? What happened? Can you move?"

Zelda spoke in a rush, obviously trying to remain calm, but her eyes grew wide when her eyes were drawn to the arrow stuck in her knight's shoulder, blood flowing fearlessly from the cut on the side of his head, and her delicate fingers reached up to inspect the head wound. Seeing her hand reach for him, Link immediately caught her arm, ignoring the shrieks of pain roused from his movements, and actually pushed her away, thus catching her off guard. Just as the Hyrulean soldiers arrived, they were able to bear witness to one of their distinguished knights push their queen back onto her backside into the snow.

"Don't touch me! Don't touch the arrow, or wound, or my blood for that matter! There's…. something…. Ugh! Just don't, Zelda! Stay away from me!" Link's steely words came between deep breaths and grunting as he looked down at his useless left arm that was beginning to go numb, his eyes narrowed furiously.

Zelda, who was seemingly unfazed and unconcerned that Link had pushed her away, instead retrieved her dagger and cut a long strip from her cloak. "Allow me at least to bind your head to keep the blood from your eyes," she said evenly and her stubborn eyes met Link's.

After a moment of obstinate staring, the knight consented with a groan and small nod.

"Ow, mother... head... Ugh! Fine, but don't remove your gloves."

While Zelda bound the strip of material around his head, dabbing away at the blood down his face, Link looked up at the captain of the soldiers, one eye shut against the pain with a grimace in accompaniment, and barked out commands. "Half of you cover the area! Be on high… alert. The other half, help me-ugh! Fuck!" Link accidentally cursed aloud as Zelda tied her makeshift bandage, he looked at her in shock and she just raised a brow, daring him to say anything. "By Farore... Help me get Her Majesty back to the castle!"

The captain answered with a simple, "Yes, sir!" and began calling out his own orders, with a number of soldiers moving off to search the area, as Zelda met Link's eyes.

"Link, are you okay to ride?"

"You shouldn't be here, Zelda. You should be in the walls!"

"We can argue about that later! Now, can you ride?"

"Yeah, just… umm, help me stand, please."

With his right hand tightly gripping Epona's bridle and with the help of Zelda, who was careful to remain clear of his blood and injuries, Link managed to get to his feet but wavered when another wave of heat erupted from the wound and dizziness blurred his vision.

"Link!" Zelda exclaimed, tightening her grip upon his right arm to steady him. "Perhaps we should-"

"No! I'm fine, just…. Epona!" Link whistled and tugged on his mare's reigns and instantly the horse folded in her foreleg and dipped low, allowing for her injured rider to unsteadily fall onto her saddle. With Zelda and the help of one of the soldiers, the Hylian knight managed to find his seat with only a few choice curses and Epona stood, rousing yet another curse and grunt of pain from her master. Taking up his reigns, Link squinted against the pain in his shoulder and the one in his head, focusing on the adrenaline in his veins and that his main priority was to see Zelda back within the ensured safety of the walls of Hyrule Castle.

Taking a deep breath, Link looked down at his queen through eyes narrowed by pain. "Zelda, can you grab my bow… please?"

The knight watched his queen and friend nod and go to pick up his dropped weapon before glancing down at his injured arm. Link subtly cursed when he saw that blood was beginning to drip from his fingers and down Epona's flank. Thankfully, Zelda wouldn't notice right away because she was on his right side and Link wasn't about to let her see either. She was already worried about him so why upset her further by telling her that he was pretty sure that the arrow had gone all the way through his shoulder? He was sure that he could feel the tickle of blood down his back, but he couldn't say for sure.

Once Zelda slung the Hero's Bow over her shoulder, she mounted Arion and the remaining Hyrulean soldiers formed a defensive circle around their queen and Link and in unison, the group of riders started forwards towards the Fence.

Each step Epona took was growing torture for Link and with each minute, more blood continued to wet Epona's side from her master's limp arm.

Even so, he rode on without complaint or slowing, urging Epona on to maintain her slow gallop, and pushing the mare in the cool air. As they travelled, Zelda kept close to his side and cast worried glances at him, disturbed to see the tightness of his facial features, how his head was lowered, and the pained scowl painted across his mouth. Behind the group of riders stretched the grey arms of the Fence with a tall pillar of yellow-tinged smoke billowing from the western gate that they had just ridden through. The yellow smoke demanded to be seen against the grey and white landscape in order to alert the castle that aid was needed at the western edge. It was rather a brilliant system, thought up by Auru, a former member of the now-disbanded Resistance, with different coloured smokes to signal Hyrule Castle of the type of emergency any gate of the Fence might be experiencing. Yellow smoke meant that additional assistance was needed and enemies had been spotted. When it became dark and such smoke couldn't be seen, all along the Fence were cauldrons strategically placed and filled with oil that could be lit with different coloured fires in order to signal danger, as well as to pour flaming oil onto any enemies below.

In the moment however, Link cared little about how well their defensive protocols were being carried out or working, for all of his attention was focused on keeping his seat and the fire burning down his arm, the heat having reached his fingertips and was also now spreading into his chest. As much as he tried to remain upright and still, Link just couldn't and would slip in his balance and his wound would be painfully jostled, coaxing more blood to darken his tunic. For the most part anyway, the silver lining about the pain was that it was shocking him to remain awake, but at the same time Link could feel his strength being sapped by the arrow, as if it were drinking it out of him like a black leech. When his left arm became completely numb, he truly started to worry about the oil-like substance coating the arrow and what exactly had entered his system.

It didn't take long for the galloping horses to traverse the western field and cross the bridge to enter the gates to Castle Town that were being held open explicitly for them. A pair of riders had galloped ahead of the escort to inform the town guards to prepare the streets. The horses only slowed to a slow canter within the town's walls with soldiers lining the roads to keep the public out of the way of the horses in order to ensure that the queen and Link reached the gates to the castle unhindered. Behind the sturdy lines of soldiers, citizens watched curiously and excitedly, anticipating some juicy gossip and intrigued at the day's turn of events. Link relied completely on Epona upon entering the town to navigate to the castle. With his head hanging low, his breathing becoming laboured, his eyes were shut tight and his grip was loose on the reigns. Link was riding blind and he even had stopped trying to hide it from Zelda. Pain continued to burn from his wound and he felt hot everywhere, like he was beginning to run a fever, and beads of sweat were forming on his brow. As they passed more people, Link could hear the chorus of gasps as eager eyes saw the obvious arrow sticking out of their beloved hero but Link didn't give them a second glance nor did Zelda.

Epona cantered up the path towards the gates leading to the stone fixed bridge that spanned over the partially frozen water of Hyrule Castle's moat. Midway across, Epona suddenly slide to a stop, forcing Arion to stop ahead of her and the guardsmen behind her to wildly stop or turn their mounts rather then crash into the silver bay. Zelda turned back in time to see Link droop forward before sliding off Epona's right side to land hard onto the bridge, his cape muffling the metallic thud of his Hylian shield colliding with the stones. With his right leg hanging awkwardly from its stirrup, Link remained unmoving on the ground.

"Link!" Zelda screamed in panic. Dismounting quickly and rushing to the fallen man's side, she gently took her's knight face in her hands to look at him.

Link blearily met Zelda's panicked gaze and his eyelids fluttered as she pressed her bare hand to his bandaged forehead. Sweat coated his face and she felt his shivering beneath her hand. She gasped as to how pale he had become.

"He's ice cold, oh goddesses! You, there! Go fetch a litter! And you! Go and send a messenger-hawk to Kakariko for Renado and his daughter to come to the castle immediately under my command! And send for Doctor Borville also! Go now!"

Zelda's commands sent soldiers off running to their horses to fulfill her orders. The remaining guardsmen crowded around their queen protectively, ready to help, though most were, with aghast expressions, subtly trying to get a glimpse of the terrible state their Saviour of Hyrule was in.

"Link?" Zelda asked, returning to peer down at her fallen knight's paling face, "Link, can you hear me? Can you say something? Link! Please! Hold on, all right? Help is on its way."

"Zelda…" Link moaned in whisper with his breathing strained and vision blurred. Blindly he reached out for her but his hand fell to the stones and Link fell into the darkness of unconsciousness.

/ / / / /

Voices. Voices filled Link's foggy head and swam around like smoky fish in a pond of heated pain, while heat filled his body. The throb of his quick heartbeat pulsated the heat like ripples upon the pond's surface, its origin being from his left shoulder. As much as he wanted to slip back into the darkness that was tempting his consciousness with the lull of sleep, Link forced his heavy eyelids partly open and his tired mind began to try and interpret what the voices around him were saying.

_"We need... now, before..."_

_"...wasting time!"_

_"We don't know... him."_

The sentences made no sense in Link's throbbing head and blinking didn't help either. A light hung over him, blinding him, but he was able to make out the ceiling above him and the soft mattress of the bed that he was laying on. Fortunately, a familiar face filled his view and his eyes slowly focused upon the person.

"Zelda," he whispered weakly and felt her cool and soft hand upon his cheek.

"He's awake! Renado! Quickly! Link, can you say something? Can you hear me? Have courage, this will be over soon."

"Hey now…." Link managed, smiling weakly and grunting a bit when he accidentally shifted his shoulder, not wanting Zelda to worry anymore, "enough with the theatrics. That's... my job."

Link could see Zelda's eyes soften and she bit her lower lip but at least he convinced her to take a breath and regain some of her normally collected composure. All too soon it seemed though that Zelda stepped aside and the wise features of Renado the shaman came into sight. Behind him, Link could make out the faces of Jerret, Sir Faris, and a couple guardsmen, who were all looking at him, while Renado's daughter, Luda, stood aside her father. Looking down at himself, Link could make out that his clothes and chainmail were gone, revealing his toned and hairless chest that was glistening with sweat. A white linen sheet was pulled up to his pectorals but he knew that he was still wearing his pants, pretty sure anyway. From his peripheral he could also see that the arrow still protruded from his shoulder, meaning that they needed to cut his tunic and chainmail to remove them. Link wasn't concerned about his tunic and chainmail for the Hero's Clothes, being magical, would repair themselves in time. Still, what perturbed the knight more than anything was that the arrow had been able to pierce through the magical chainmail. Usually, arrows and even enemy's swords just bounced off the protective covering, which still hurt, a lot sometimes, but it was rare for the chainmail to be damaged let alone penetrated. If his head had been clear, Link would've wanted to think about this and worry what it meant.

"Link, can you tell me what you're feeling?" Renado asked in his calming tone.

"Hot… just hot and my arm… can't feel it. Head's pounding."

Link's voice came out hoarse and strained, his lips were dry and his tongue stuck to the top of his mouth, but he fought hard to remain coherent and lucid, focusing on the burn of the pain and not how weak he was feeling.

"Hot? Interesting... I don't understand," Renado replied, looking aside quickly, brows narrowed with thought. "Link, your skin is cool, almost cold in places, you're shivering even."

"I am?" Looking around to find Zelda standing close to his right side, Link wet his lips to ask, "How long was I out?"

"It's only been a half hour at most, you're in the castle's infirmary, but your condition has gotten worse. Your wound, it won't stop bleeding, but we managed to properly bind your head at least. Renado and Luda were in Castle Town as it turned out, which I'm thankful for, because Doctor Borville has gone to Ordon Village."

"Why… the arrow?"

"We were just discussing the best solution to remove it when you awoke," Renado stated, his brown eyes staring at the long, black shaft of the arrow as if it were a complicated puzzle.

"Just…. Pull it out," Link muttered like it was the simplest thing to do, confusion contorting his pale face as to why this was an issue.

"That's the problem…." Faris spoke up, his deep voice rumbling from the foot of the bed, "that arrow is barbed and pulling it out could severely tear the muscles in your shoulder and potentially render the entire limb useless. The tip has just pieced the other side too, so it'd be stupid to pull it all way back out again. Also, there's…"

Faris glanced at Zelda as he trailed off in his sentence. Link caught the look of pain and possibly fear flash across the queen's face but she turned away. Before he could ask, Renado finished what Faris had been trying to say.

"The arrow is coated in a poison that I have been unable to identify. It's only by the luck of the goddesses that your chainmail stopped the arrow as far as it has gone into your flesh, for if it entirely passed through, then you would have received a larger dosage of the toxin into your bloodstream."

"So, dead, I get it."

Link said it, everyone else was thinking it, and an uncomfortable silence filled the room for a moment until Zelda spoke up.

"I still say that Jerret's plan makes the most sense. It'll be painful but… it's really our only option."

"Painful, huh? What will?" Link asked, looking over at Zelda.

"I suggested that we cut the arrow's shaft as close to your skin as we can and push the arrow out, tip first. When we push the arrow through, little to no more poison will be transferred, in theory. However, with the arrowhead barely breaking the skin on the other side of your shoulder, a clean shot that missed your bone and main arteries if I might add, we'd had to make an incision to pull the arrow out. Once it is, we can deal with the poison in your system but the longer that the arrow is in, the more poison is able to seep into you."

"What Jerret is saying, Little Link, is that your day is going to get a whole of a hell lot more painful right away. Oh, and we can't even help you along with mead or anything of the sort, because Renado here doesn't know what we're dealing with and mixing alcohol with whatever you have in you could kill you." There was a grim grin in Faris' voice, but even in such a situation, the older knight couldn't help but tease his former squire.

"Don't call me that," was all Link said exasperated, his breathing weak, and he could feel that his pulse was fast as it was pounding in his ears. "Just do it. Get it out."

The pain already was nearly unbearable so what was more? Perhaps he'd be lucky and pass out again and when he woke up, he'll be as clucky as a Cucco. When he had told Renado that he was feeling hot, that was an understatement. Link felt like he was laying beneath the merciless sun of the Gerudo Desert while a Goron hammered a hot iron nail into his left shoulder. Each breath he took he could've sworn that he was within Death Mountain to choke on its molten air and on top of things he had a headache, a big one, probably since he's fallen off Epona twice today. Being told though that his skin felt cold just sounded too weird in his pounding head so Link didn't even care to think about that. The only comfort he could find in his current predicament was knowing that Zelda was safe and that he succeeded in his duties to protect her, but his condition was also worrying her which didn't help much.

From across the room, Link heard the heavy footfalls of Faris as he came closer to Link's side and his tutor's deep voice say, "All right then, that settles it. Men! Help me hold him down. Your Majesty, you may want to wait outside until this is done. It will not be pretty I'm afraid and I'm sure that you don't want to see your _fabulous_ hero scream and cry like a babe."

"I'm not leaving," Zelda replied firmly and Link looked over at her with the ghost of a smile.

Quickly though the smile evaporated and his eyelids fluttering but annoyance spurred Link enough attitude to direct a weak glare at Faris. _'Cry like a babe my ass...'_ he thought weakly. Turning back to Zelda, Link wet his lips and took a steadying breath. "I don't want you... to see this," he whispered.

"Even if I weren't queen, no one would be able to get me to leave. I won't do that to you, Link."

"Zelda," Link to speak a bit more strongly and he went to grab her hand with his, but ended up only weakly moving his fingers on the sheets. It was still enough to catch her attention. "I don't want to give you..." he paused as another wave of head crashed against his mind before struggled to exhale, "any more nightmares." Zelda's eyes widened slightly and her lips parted and the woman looked like she was about to say something when Faris spoke up.

"Enough talk. Save it for after we get the arrow out of the boy."

"I'm not..." Link mumbled but was quickly cut off.

"Fine, Your Majesty," Renado spoke over Link to address the Queen, "if you insist on staying, then please at least step aside. We cannot waste anymore time. Hold him down, gentlemen. Luda, hand me those cutters, please, and don't forget your gloves."

Sets of strong hands suddenly came and pressed down onto Link's legs, pinning them to the bed. The knight groaned with the additional weight on his hot body and his complaint to Faris was quickly forgotten. Faris himself came and pressed his one hand down upon Link's right arm and blearily the knight looked up at his tutor. For a second Link was sure that he saw genuine concern within his mentor's eyes and for the first time that day, Link was scared, and only to Faris did he dare show it with his eyes. Was he really that bad off to worry one of the most hardened and brave men Link had ever met? A guardsman came to lightly hold down his left arm, gloves on against the blood, and Link moaned in pain when the wounded limb was touched and shut his eyes from Faris' stoney expression. While the young man could understand why it might be necessary to be held down because he might thrash a bit, but taking into account how weak he was feeling four grown men seemed a bit extreme.

Soft fingers brushed against his cheek and Link sighed when a cool cloth came to rest upon his forehead and he closed his eyes. Zelda, what a good friend she was... Why did he have to make her worry so? And why hadn't she stayed in the Walls like she was supposed to when there was danger? Never one to back down she was... Still, there were protocols for a reason and they weren't that much use if she just ignored them for his sake. She came back to him, which he could admit was brave of her, but still! It had been nice to have her around, to see her, even if he was worrying her. He always enjoyed when she looked at him... Oh, how nice that cloth felt... it helped his head a bit actually, at least he thought it did, or maybe...

Link must've drifted off into the borderland of unconsciousness for the next thing he knew was feeling the scolding hot stab of a knife consumed in flames cut into his flesh and he cried out in terrible pain. A gag had been placed in his mouth so he wouldn't bite his tongue, thus most of his scream was smothered. Snapping his eyes open wide, Link convulsed and struggled against the grips of hands clutching his limbs but he was barely able to move. Wildly looking around in a panic, the hero found to his surprise that he was now on his side and twisting his head to the side to look at his shoulder, saw that the shaft of the arrow had already been cut away. Calling out another struggled wail of pain, Link shut his eyes tight against another rolling wave of pain, clamping down on the gag as if it would help.

"It's okay, Link. Deep breaths, it's almost over." Zelda's soft voice whispered through the panic in the knight's mind and the queen's gentle hands came to ease his head back into the pillow. "I'm here," she went on gently.

"I've made the incision. Luda, on my count, push the shaft as I pull on the tip of the arrow. I can make out one of the barbs, so I should be able to get a firm hold on it. Ready?"

"Yes, father."

"Link," Zelda whispered forcing him to look on her, "things are going to be all right. I promise. Hold on."

Oh no... they hadn't even taken out the arrow yet.

Link looked directly in Zelda's eyes, his brows low with determination, and tried to focus on nothing but the lovely shade of blue he saw within them.

"Now!"

For the second time that day, time itself seemed to slow. For a moment, the room became entirely still and quiet.

The second Renado pulled the arrow free from Link's shoulder with blood spraying the shaman's clothes and onto the floor, the knight gasped loudly and his eyes went wide, his pupils dilating. With his mouth hanging open his gag fell out and with his throat tight, Link managed only to blink in numb surprise. In that second, all of his pain was gone and Link felt like he was floating. All too soon however, an intense agony seared through his being and slammed against his nerves like the cascade of a brutal waterfall. A terrible, wretched scream filled the room and time returned to normal in a rapid rush. Pain spewed from his wound and Link convulsed violently whilst he continued to yell and scream in anguish. Around him the men holding him down grunted and shouted out in surprise and effort when it seemed that all of Link's strength suddenly returned for they now fought to hold him steady.

"It burns! Oh holy fuck! Ah! It burns! Din! The fire! Stop! Please, goddess! Ah! Do something!"

Link screamed again, ending with a moan of desperation and pleading. Blood flowed freely from the hole in his shoulder but it might as well have been lava. Link had been wrong. The pain earlier might as well have been a paper cut compared to what was devouring his entire body now. His head pounded, his muscles bulged from his strain and struggle, veins popping beneath his skin, sweat was soaking the white sheet twisting around his contorting legs, but still he continued to fight. Link felt like he wanted to run, to sprint away from the fire within him, and jump into the icy cold waters of the castle's moat, or Lake Hylia, or a snow hill, just anything to smother the fire! His mind was filled with a steamy mass of dark fog, clouding his judgment. Somewhere, beneath the pain, the Hylian did want to calm down, to listen to the men around him who were telling him to relax, but the fire was in control and all Link could do was scream.

"I can't… I can't bind his wound. He's tossing too much!" Renado called out from somewhere to the left of him.

In reply, Link snapped his teeth together and sneered viciously at everything. Blood had long since stained the left side of the bed and all down Link's arm were bloody tendrils spread like the webbing of some crimson arachnid. Renado continued to try and bind the wound but each time he got close, Link would jerk away as if the touch of the shaman burned him even more. Arching his back, the Hylian knight screamed loudly and fought against his human bonds, fighting the fire that was burning him from the inside out, while darkness was beginning to seep into his vision. Gradually, Link's cries became snarls, his screams became howls, and his suffering became growls. The expressions of the men surrounding the knight ranged from concentration to growing fear and Zelda continued to try and call out Link's name for him to calm down but her knight remained unreceptive.

"Your Majesty! I'd recommend that you mind your distance! Renado! By the goddesses, man! Should we knock the boy out before he bites your hand off?"

Faris' deep tone seemed slightly strained, for even the strength of the knight was having some difficulty holding down Link's arm.

"No, we can't! Any more damage to his head could seriously injure him I'm afraid," Renado called out over a savage snarl from Link.

"Well what in the name of Din are we to do?" Faris yelled.

No one came up with an answer.

Zelda never took her eyes off of the writhing form of Hyrule's hero, her eyes slightly widened in fear, and her ears were filled with his tortured screams. She watched him toss his head, arch his back before slamming back against the mattress, fight and struggle against the men who held him and his cries were increasingly becoming more animalistic. Zelda knew of Link's past, of how the influence of the Twilight had transformed him into a beast. It had been in his wolf form that she had first met the hero, but also Link had confided to the queen concerning his wolf-like tendencies he had experienced when he had been living in Ordon. Such a topic was rather sensitive for Zelda, for she still felt responsible for Link's imprisonment and she had noticed many times in the past that Link made an effort to cover the scars he bore on his left wrist from where his shackle had rubbed his skin.

A deep, guttural growl filled the room as Link raised his head, teeth bared and the whites of his eyes were showing, brows set in a deadly furrow; the knight's bloodstained hair completed the face of pure savagery and it appeared that his head was bleeding again. One of the guardsmen stared at Link's face, terrified, and motioned to back away. He loosened his hold on Link's leg just as Link kicked out and caught Jerret in the gut, causing the captain to grunt out in surprise but managed to keep his place. Jerret was quick to grab Link's free leg and snap at the guard, "You stay your place, soldier!" but the captain openly struggled to control both of the knight's writhing legs by himself.

Zelda watched the guard resume his position before she looked back down at the savage creature that occupied the bed, a beast so far from the quiet and kind man whom she knew to be her dear friend. Slowly, Zelda also backed away from him, expression contorted with though. Unlike the guard, Zelda did not move away out of fear but rather to retrieve a weapon. Quickly, the woman went over to the table where Link's bloodstained tunic and other garments had been strewn. Taking the Master Sword in hand, the woman looked sideways at Link, watching him flail and she saw how tears were streaming from his eyes. To see her friend in so much agony made her heart ache and guilt pressed upon her. The knight's mouth was set into a nasty snarl and Zelda knew that it was not her imagination that the man's canines had enlarged to be deadly points. She had an inkling of what to do and what might save Link from whatever darkness that he was battling within him that the pain, the poison, or a combination of both had revived.

She had to try or else she feared that soon an angry, panicked and injured wolf would occupy the room and they would all be in danger, especially Link. She left her knight's side to retrieve his hopeful salvation.

"Faris, move aside a bit," Zelda ordered, forgoing polite pleasantries, before coming near Link's right side and without hesitation, she placed the sheathed Master Sword upon Link's pale and sweaty chest and pressed it against his skin. With her other hand, the Queen of Hyrule took Link's cheek to hold his head and ignoring Faris' warning to stay away, she pressed her forehead against Link's. With his strained groans and cries loud in her ears, Zelda muttered a prayer to the goddesses for help.

Then suddenly, a great gasp filled the air and the room fell silent.

Slowly lifting her head, Zelda, opened her eyes to look down upon Link's face and found his eyes wide open with his brilliant blue eyes looking directly into hers once again. The man's mouth hung open in what looked like an expression of surprise with a trail of fresh blood dribbling from a side of his mouth. Still, in that moment Zelda knew that he could see her, that his head was clear, but before she could say or do anything, Link's eyes rolled slightly and his head collapsed against the pillow as his entire body went limp. In unison, the four men holding Link down groaned when Link's resistance disappeared but were slow to ease their grips, wary that Link might erupt into another fit. When the knight remained still for a good few seconds, they hesitantly eased back and released their holds. Zelda breathed a sigh of relief and smiled a bit as she swept a hand over her forehead to accidentally smear Link's blood across her skin, looking at the Master Sword and its ethereal shine seemed to be slightly brighter than its usual gleam.

Faris, sitting back on a chair, shook his head slightly as he looked on at the unconscious Link, before he said, "I must say, my lady, that your fast thinking there was greatly needed. The poor boy, I feared that some demon was fighting its way out of him the way he was screaming like that." The knight retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his mouth, his eyes never leaving Link's still and bloody body.

"I have to agree, Your Highness… thank you." Jerret sighed and bowed his head in gratitude, rubbing where Link kicked him before he glared over at the guardsman whose fault it was.

"Let it be known," Zelda looked up from Link to stare at the room of men with a tone that commanded authority, "that knowledge of any and all events that transpired within this room will not extend beyond the mouths of those present. If so, I can assure you that the punishment will be dire. Is that clear?" Zelda spoke to all of the men present but without even looking directly at them, the two guardsmen knew that her words were for them more than the others and they lowered their heads submissively.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the four men said in unison, bowing to their queen, while Renado and Luda only spoke the oath, for the shaman was already busy cleansing and stitching Link's bloody shoulder.

"Concerning Sir Link…" Jerret spoke up, clearing his throat, "will he be all right, Master Renado?"

All eyes turned towards the healer and the man remained silent and focused on another stitch before he sighed and a frown creased his brow. "I will try all the remedies within my knowledge to try and draw out the poison from his blood. Without being able to identify the toxin however, I fear that I may not be able procure an antidote… I have no way of knowing how long his recovery may be."

"Well, we're thankful nevertheless. Never have a seen a response like his, so whatever is on that arrow must be pure evil," Jerret continued and Faris nodded in agreement.

"Do... you think it's the Twilight?" asked one of the guards hesitantly.

Silence filled the room and everyone looked at the two halves of the arrow laying darkly on a side table. No one had thought of that apparently.

"No," Zelda said finally. "The connection with the Twilight Realm has been severed."

Their queen having spoken, the men of the room only nodded before they began to quietly converse while Renado and Luda continued to diligently work. Zelda was left alone to her thoughts and she retrieved the chair from against the wall that she had been using earlier when Link was first brought in and brought it next to the knight's head. Taking a seat and putting on new gloves, she went to work to change the bandage abound his head and wipe away the blood from his face. She allowed for the quiet moment to help calm her nerves. Beneath her collected demeanour and composed expression, Zelda was shaking and immensely worried, scared even. She had acted fast and it had stopped Link from convulsing, or rather from transforming, but the entire scene had still disturbed her and blame was pressing hard upon her shoulders. True Link may be her knight and Personal Guard to the Queen and that it was his duty to protect her, but she still felt responsible for him being injured so badly and poisoned. Already she had gone over numerous possibilities in which they had left from the west gate, or hadn't stayed at Lake Hylia as long, or if she gone back to help him, or-

Zelda's lip trembled and she fought hard to remain composed and focused on finishing up with Link's bandage. Removing the bloodied gloves from her hands, she took the dried cloth in hand and Zelda dipped the material into the basin of water at his bedside to resume wetting his forehead. Link's skin felt so cold yet he screamed that he was burning and it didn't make sense. Sighing, Zelda brought her cloth to the side of the man's mouth to wipe away the traces of blood when she paused.

"Link?"

Everyone in the room looked up when Zelda whispered the knight's name questioningly.

"My lady?" Jerret asked, the captain glancing between the Queen and the knight.

"Is he awake already?" Faris spoke up.

Obvious confusion and perhaps doubt clouded the queen's expression but she did not look at Jerret and shook her head in reply to Faris. Instead, the Hylian queen leaned over the unconscious man's face and gently cupped a hand over Link's mouth and nose. Her eyes were searching for something in his vacant expression before they widened in sudden alarm.

"Oh, goddess… Renado! I don't think…. He's not breathing!"

"What?" Faris called out in shock, nearly falling over in his chair.

"He's stopped breathing!"

Renado, who had finished with Link's arm and was currently discussing possible remedies with his daughter, without hesitation came immediately to Link's side and Zelda nervously moved aside to give him room. Shoving up his sleeves, the shaman took one look at Link's face before he stated firmly, "He's gone into shock". The shaman began making orders as he interlocked his hands to begin pressing hard on the knight's still chest. "Jerret, raise his legs. Luda, come here and tilt back his head. Faris, I must ask you to take Her Ladyship outside now. Guardsmen, help him."

"What? No! I'm not leaving! I'm- Wait, Faris! Unhand me! You can't- No! Link! Let me go! Now!"

Zelda's royal authority was no match for the strong arm that came suddenly abound her waist and she found herself against a broad and strong chest; in her ear she heard her knight mutter his apology as he began to easily take her towards the door. In such a unique situation, the shaman's word overpowered the Queen's and Faris knew it. Zelda squirmed and struggled, calling out desperately for her knight to release her, but to no avail. Panic seized Zelda and she began to speak louder, realization falling upon her in full weight of what was happening and what it meant, and her heart rate increased to a rapid rate. This wasn't happening! Not again! Not again! She couldn't lose another!

She couldn't do anything, not to escape her oldest knight or to help her youngest, and all she could do was watch the scene before her through her desperate struggles. Jerret had raised Link's legs as instructed, the captain's expression full of disbelief as Renado continued to perform chest compressions on an unresponsive, cold and pale Link. The knight's body only jerked limply with each push of the shaman's hands over his heart; the Master Sword slightly jumped with each compression and slowly slid off from the hero's chest, the legendary blade rendered useless. Zelda's eyes widened and she paled, unaware of the other two guards in the room stumbling to open the door, and her gaze was drawn to Link's pallid face.

"Please, open your eyes, come on Link…. Faris, please! No…"

The queen's begging did not sway the knight to stop in his duty to spare her from the sight of watching her friend die, nor did he release his arm from around her waist even when they were outside of the room. The door closed and Zelda feebly reached out to door, her shaking body evaporating her strength to stand. Faris fell to a knee as Zelda stumbled and her legs gave out from beneath her. The veteran knight held her as she sobbed and called out desperately, pleading weakly to be released. From the other side of the infirmary door Jerret's muffled curses could be heard and the stumbling of the two guardsmen as they scurried to adhere to Renado's unknown orders. Guards rushed from down the hall to their queen's side, swords drawn to aid their severely distressed queen, their faces still contorted with fear from having heard all of Link's ghastly screams. Faris' solemn and stern shake of his head ordered them to stand down and her soldiers stared at their queen with concern and confusion but she paid them no mind.

She was too preoccupied with fathoming the apparent death of the Hero Chosen by the Gods, her knight, and her best friend on the other side of the door that faced her.

"Please, Link… open your eyes."


	6. Chapter Six: Council

_She couldn't do anything, not to escape her oldest knight or to help her youngest, and all she could do was watch the scene before her through her desperate struggles. Jerret had raised Link's legs as instructed, the captain's expression full of disbelief as Renado continued to perform chest compressions on an unresponsive, cold and pale Link. The knight's body only jerked limply with each push of the shaman's hands over his heart, the Master Sword slightly jumped with each compression and slowly slid off from the hero's chest, the legendary blade rendered useless. Zelda's eyes widened and she paled, unaware of the other two guards in the room stumbling to open the door, and her gaze was drawn to Link's pallid face._

_"Please, open your eyes, come on Link…. Faris, please! No…"_

"Your Majesty? Your Majesty?"

"Queen Zelda?"

"Hm?"

Zelda looked up from the paper she'd been staring for the past couple of minutes without being able to make it through the first paragraph. Blinking away the grim memory from her mind, forcing it back into the chest of other such dark scenes, the Hyrulean queen looked up to meet the questioning and curious stares of twelve pairs of eyes all upon her. The queen blinked and took a breath as she straightened her posture.

"Your Majesty, did you hear what was said?" asked one of the men once again while he slightly fidgeted once his queen's sharp eyes fell upon him.

"No, I mean yes, Lord Ully, my apologies." Zelda glanced back down at the papers before her after meeting the Patriarch of the Arker Family's concerned look and unseen to any of her advisers, she nervously tapped her desk. "Please, repeat what was said."

"Your Majesty, if you are feeling unwell the Council would completely understand if you wish to…"

"No, no, Councillor Sivl. I assure all of you that I am well and this Council meeting will take place as planned and I promise that no other mishaps will occur." Clearing her throat, Zelda interlocked her fingers and slightly raised her chin. "Now if you would please repeat what was last said. Thank you."

A couple of the Council members looked aside at each other, revealing that they weren't all that assured that their queen was as all right as she let on but the large council chamber filled with the shuffling of papers and the clearing of throats before Oris, Patriarch of the Arianwen Family, faced his queen and spoke.

"As I was saying, Your Majesty. As everyone's' documents show, Lonna Ranch is now under full operation and that we ought to be expecting at least a dozen new foals come the next couple of months, which is double the amount that we saw this time last year. That being said, the ranch will be needing more resources and more bodies to ensure that the foals are trained. I propose the incorporation of at least twenty new recruits to join our equestrian ranks to aid in the training of the mounts and to improve operations overall."

"Twenty men? Don't you think that such an action would be a waste of our valued manpower to deal with a few horses, Lord Oris?"

Lord Oris looked over across from him at the woman who had spoke, the Matriarch of the Triveni Family, before he replied, "I do recognize that what I am purposing is a hefty number considering our limited numbers at this time but I believe that by investing in our mounted forces, we strengthen our entire defence, Lady Teria."

"And where from do you propose that we spare twenty men to play with horses?" Patriarch Hompson, of the Amberl Family, arched a brow over at Lord Oris who was not showing any sign of being discouraged.

Instead, Lord Oris stood and looked around at his fellow council members before looking up to Zelda to say, "Well I have given a fair amount of thought of what you had suggested a couple of months ago, Your Majesty, that we are in a time of change and old traditions must be improved upon. It will take up to two decades for our numbers to be replenished to reflect their former glory or surpass it. If we are to make it through this difficult time where we find our numbers limited, I suggest that we ought to give a more thorough consideration to the idea of girls and women joining our military ranks and... Now, now, hold on! Let me, ah, finish!"

As soon as Lord Oris mentioned females, several of the lords and a couple of the elder Councillors began to voice their disapproval and objections while the remaining council members, especially the two Matriarchs and their Queen, sat in stony silence.

"Girls? You expect girls to have the strength to bare our armour and swing a sword? Din! By that logic I'll be expecting my own mother to take up arms!"

"I'm I agreement with Lord Euros, it's absurd! Do you really expect for fathers to give up their daughters to ride around on horses and stick an enemy with a spear? I think not!" Lord Hompson smacked his hand on the table and roused a cry of agreement from the majority of the men present; several of the elder Councillors remained in silent observation to the showcase of brute masculinity.

"I mean really, Lord Oris," Lord Euros continued, setting his elbow upon the table and sneered a smirk at his fellow councilman while he thumbed a large ring upon one of his fat fingers. "What could you possibly do to change the minds of the Council? Girls in the military? It's unheard of! You will not find either of my daughters upon a horse and in a helmet!"

"But you could find mine!"

The Council chamber fell silent and every pair of eyes scrutinized Lord Oris when he slammed his hand upon the table and his voice filled the room, demanding to be heard. Lords Euros and Hompson began to speak in objection when Zelda slowly lifted her hand and Councillor Yrota, the Council's Elder, knocked his gavel upon his desk and shouted, "Order! The Queen requests order!"

Zelda met the eyes of Lord Oris and inclined her head, permitting him to continue.

"Yes, well, as I was saying. I have three daughters, two of which remain unmarried, and I propose that before the Council so quickly dismisses my suggestion of the allowance of woman into our military, which I might be so bold and remind all of you that it was Queen Zelda who suggested this aforementioned. That I would personally sign up my two daughters and youngest son to join the ranks at Lonna Ranch and the cohesive defence for all of Hyrule." Pausing for a moment to allow for his words to sink in, Lord Oris fixed the front of his coat and pointedly glanced at Lord Euros before returning to face Zelda before continuing, "Our numbers have been depleted and there are just so many men that we could spare, so why not allow the women of Hyrule to stand by their men in the names of the Three Goddesses?"

"But, girls? Daughters of Hyrule? Women are delicate, fragile things meant to be protected, housework, children, and remaining within safety! Not galavanting off on a horse with a sword to cut down an enemy!" Lord Euros' words rang through the room and his expression was torn between incredulousness and slight anger for such a concept he, and some others, could not comprehend.

"So, you believe housework is a woman's duty?"

The Patriarch of the Gefion family paled at his queen's quiet question and he swallowed loudly when he met her strong and even gaze; give credit where it was deserved, a lesser man would have looked away or feinted under the weight of such a stare.

"Well, Your Majesty, all I meant was..."

"Have you ever done housework, Lord Euros?"

"Ah, well, of course not, Your Majesty, I have maids for such-"

"So, you believe housework is a woman's duty?"

"Ah," Euros was sweating beneath his shirt now and the eyes of the Council were upon him, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"And of what gender am I, Lord Euros?"

"What... gender? Your Majesty? I-?

"Am I a woman or man, Lord Euros?"

"W-Well, my lady, you are of course a woman, but I do not under-"

"So, since I am a woman, do I do housework?"

The number of eyes that widened having heard such a question spoken by their Queen made a few Councilmen squirm, silently gasp, or send a prayer to the Three Goddesses that it hadn't been directed at them. Lord Euros, as bold of a man as any and whose figure was of considerable weight in addition to his average height, looked similarly to a rabbit under a hawk's gaze or a child being scolded: cornered with no where to run.

Even still, when he answered his voice retained some of its usual strength, though his hands trembled as he adjusted his collar. "Ah, no, Your Majesty, for you are Queen."

"Yes, I am, yet even though I am and housework is not required of me as Queen, if I were to see a towel upon the floor I would not hesitate to pick it up. Why? So that things remain tidy and organized and because I, as a Hyrulean, should not be limited because of what I am, just as a daughter of Lord Oris ought not to be hindered from taking up arms if that is what this Council decides upon simply because she is a girl and if it is for the good of Hyrule."

Silence filled the chamber and a few of the Council members held expressions of suppressed bewilderment and fidgeted slightly but none spoke up. Zelda, who had been staring down at Lord Euros this entire time, took a deep breath and finally released Euros from her royal hold and gave Lord Oris a slight nod, to which he quickly returned with the bow of his head before he retook his seat. Looking aside, Zelda met the glance of Councillor Yrota with a nod and the old man stood to address the Council.

In his weathered yet strong voice, the Elder spoke, "The Queen approves of such a proposal. Now, it is up to the vote of the Council for the allowance of twenty bodies to be relocated to Lonna Ranch. All those in favour, say aye!"

Around the Council chamber, members admitted their compliance with a round of "Ayes" and the raise of their hands for a total of nine out of a possible eleven votes, with Lords Euros and Hompson stubbornly voicing their disapproval with gruff "Nays", though Lord Euros, having sunk into his seat a bit, refused to look anywhere near his queen.

"Let it be recorded that twenty souls shall be added to the main body of Lonna Ranch," Elder Yrota said, nodding to the scribe who was recording all official agreements. "Now, as for the proposal of girls joining the numbers suggested. Lord Oris. Do you remain standing by your promise to have two of your own daughters in addition to your youngest son join the Hyrulean Soldiers if in fact this Council votes to allow for women to join our military?"

Once again, all eyes fell upon Lord Oris and with a his head held high, the Patriarch of the second-wealthiest family in Hyrule nodded and stated, "I swear on my family name, in the name of Our Queen and by the names of the Three Goddesses that I will uphold my word that it will be so."

"Very well," said Yrota with a nod and the Council's scribe documented the oath accordingly. "All those in favour to begin to admission of women into our military, say aye!"

At first, there only came the voices of Lord Oris and Lady Lienne, Matriarch of the Erall Family, but shortly after, Lady Teria and Lord Kaymib of the Tellan Family raised their hands as well. One of the elders then raised their hands and voiced his support, which gave the current vote a count of five out of a needed six. The smug expressions of Lords Euros and Hompson glared at Lord Oris, who sighed in defeat when it seemed that no one else was going to raise their hand.

"Very well, all those-"

"Aye."

Euros and Hompson, along with everyone else, turned their heads to Lord Ully, whose hand slowly rose to join the others to give the vote the majority.

"Ah, well then. Let it be recorded from this day forward, that women will be allowed to join the military of Hyrule and that the two daughters of Lord Oris, Patriarch of the Arianwen Family, shall be the first to do so and will be sent to Lonna Ranch to begin training."

As the Council's scribe went to work, voices rose from the council members and from her higher seat it was clear to Zelda who in the room held resentment for the passed decree. The layout of the Council chamber was simple enough, with the current monarch of Hyrule seated at the forefront of the large circular room, elevated and behind a grand podium. To Zelda's left were the vacant seats meant for able members of the Royal Family who wished to attend the monthly Council meetings but alas, during Zelda's reign each seat remained empty and would remain so for a long while yet. To the queen's right sat the Council Elder, the oldest and therefore wisest Councillor, who could not vote but would withhold order and see that the council proceeded in a methodical fashion. The Council Elder was one of five Councillors who in the past have been former Heads of the Noble Families, esteemed members of Hyrulean society, masters of trade or distinguished citizens.

Presently, Elder Yrota was a master blacksmith and continued to take on apprentices and smith in addition to his duties as Council Elder. Councillor Oplin was the father of Lord Hompson and former Patriarch of the Amberl Family, Wharha an elderly knight, Sivl had been the Council's official scribe for decades, and Councillor Gryffyn was the youngest of the Councillors and a captain in the Castle's Guard. Each Head of the Seven Noble Families of Hyrule sat with the four Councillors at a long and arched, semi-circle table so that they all faced their monarch and the Council Elder. Once a month the Council would meet in accordance to the rise of the new moon and as tired as Zelda was, she refused to postpone the meeting. As reigning queen, it was her duty to oversee the Council and her only true power was the power of veto, so if there was a proposed decree that could be deemed as possibly having negative repercussions for Hyruleans she held the power to object to it.

Zelda reached up and rubbed the side of her head as a wave of exhaustion washed across her but before Yrota could notice, she took a sip of her water and gestured for her Elder to proceed to the next topic up for discussion.

"Moving along to the final item up for discussion that this Council will discuss," Yrota called over the subtle conversations between the Council members, to which they all quieted while their Elder flipped to his last paper and read it. The quiet continued to the point that Zelda looked over at her Elder and saw him staring at the paper with an expression of surprise from what she could see.

"Councillor Yrota?" She inquired and the man cleared his throat and glanced up at her.

"My apologies, Your Majesty. Ah, yes, well the item that is to be discussed concerns yourself, my lady, and I am unsure that now is the most appropriate time to discuss it…"

"Me? Appropriate? Please, speak your mind, Councillor."

"Yes, Your Majesty, if I might continue on behalf of Elder Yrota with the utmost respect," Matriarch Teria stood as she spoke, bowing her head to her queen before she continued. "In accordance to the incident that occurred outside of the West Gate that jeopardized your safety, several of the Council members have come together in the past couple days since the event to discuss the future of Hyrule, Your Highness."

"In what manner?" Zelda replied, eyebrow rose in questioning and her hands behind her podium tightened with the mentioning of the West Gate.

"Your Majesty, please understand that we only wish what is best for all of Hyrule but with the threat of your life that occurred…"

"My life was never in danger, I assure you."

"Well yes, Your Majesty, but that was only because of the protection of the Personal Guard to the Queen, to whom we all are grateful, but the incident still has reminded the Council members the importance that the matter of the succession of the throne and that your marriage must be discussed."

Silence, an uncomfortable silence, filled the chamber and Zelda sat unmoving. Her throat tightened and in her mind anguished screams of pain and agony filled her ears and she had to fight hard not to flinch from the memory. A sickening chill crept into her stomach and Zelda's hands shook slightly but thankfully, no one was able to see. If it were not for her uncanny ability to uphold a composure of regal calm and poise, Zelda would have shouted rather than stiffly speak her next words, "My marriage?"

"Indeed, Your Majesty," Lord Ully spoke up, standing to join Lady Teria, "For five years now you have ruled over Hyrule and your people had prospered under you with your defensive projects and determination to see that all of Hyrule flourish. During that time, a marriage would have been too much for the people to adjust to but you have proven yourself to be a more than capable leading our country but now we must consider seriously the establishment of an heir to carry on the name of the Royal Family."

"Obviously this has been discussed far longer than the three days since what occurred outside the West Gate, Lord Ully." Zelda's words held a crispness that made several of the Council members shift uncomfortably or look away entirely.

However, Lord Ully was quick to bow his head and to add, "Please, Your Majesty, we meant no disrespect and the prospect of your marriage has been discussed before but never truly brought to attention. It's only the recent events of the last few days that has given more reason to why it must be discussed seriously."

"But of course, Your Highness, we understand why you may not wish to speak of things now taken into consideration how you must be feeling and what you are going through."

"Lady Lienne, I am well, as I've stated already." Zelda replied, tapping her finger in the slightest show of her annoyance of her wellbeing and state of mind being questioned once again. "If my marriage is wished to be discussed now then so be it."

"Your Majesty. At your coronation you swore an oath to the people of Hyrule to provide and protect them and marrying to produce an heir goes in part with your oath-"

"Lord Euros. I need not your word to remind me of my oath, for I am Queen, and that has not slipped my mind." There was no need for Zelda to raise her voice for her tone was enough that even the wealthiest Patriarch bowed his head with submissiveness, his earlier scolding having taught him nothing of humbleness apparently.

"My apologies, Your Majesty, I meant no disrespect."

"What I believe Lord Euros meant, my lady," Lady Lienne spoke up again, ignoring the glare that was shot a her by Euros, "Is that your marriage is the next step in your commitment to the people of Hyrule. It is true that all to your defensive and building projects have been completed so is it not understandable that the logical next step for the people to look forward to in the growth of Hyrule is the union of their beloved Queen and the promise of a royal heir?"

"My Queen. What happened at the West Gate has frightened the people of Hyrule. Your marriage would comfort them I'm sure."

Zelda glanced at Lord Oris and sighed. What her Council said was true, that she had been queen now for five years and during that time she has been able to quell any talk of marriage because she insisted that their focus should remain on building up Hyrule defences and military presence. Now however, she had lost that excuse for indeed all of her projects had been completed aside from final touches in Hyrule Castle and such. While she had never actually said it aloud, Zelda was relieved to having been able to avoid marriage as long as she has because unlike her parents, who had married from love, Zelda accepted long ago that her marriage would be because of her position as monarch. Love had always been a distant feeling for her, with the main recipient of her love having died six years ago now. Looking over at the faces of her Council members, Zelda knew that she would not be able to avoid the issue of marriage for much longer because as much as she disliked thinking it, Euros was right. As queen, it was her duty to ensure the safety of her people and producing an heir was one of her responsibilities to oversee.

"Yes, I understand," Zelda finally said and she tried not to frown when she watched a few of the councilmen sigh in relief.

"But Your Majesty, I hope that you understand that we are not pressuring you to choose or decide anything as of now or even remotely soon. As expressed at the beginning of the council, I speak for all of us when I say that we understand what you must be going through seeing as how Sir Link…"

"And as I have said already, while I appreciate your concern, what has happened to Sir Link will not intervene to what happens in this chamber, for what we discuss here concerns all of Hyrule and that is our top concern." Having heard enough of Link and not wanting to be reminded of his name, Zelda looked from Lord Ully back to Lady Teria. "I can only assume that the Council already has a list of possible suitors eligible to become my Prince consort."

"Yes, my lady, you assume correctly," Lady Teria admitted, the Matriarch glancing aside at her fellow council members so that Lords Euros, Oris and Kaymib along with Lady Lienne all stood. "As it stands, there are four eligible suitors from the Seven Noble Families of Hyrule who are of marrying age and are unmarried," Lady Teria then began to read from her paper, "Bohdan, of the Gefion Family, Arvid, of the Arianwen Family, Everard II, of the Erall Family, and Jarah, of the Tellan Family."

"Really Lady Lienne, do you expect your son to the chosen? He's a mere boy!"

"And of marrying age, Lord Euros! The same as your son whom, might I add, all of Hyrule knows you have been holding off from marriage in the hopes of him becoming Prince."

"You hold your tongue, woman! How dare you disrespect my son!"

"The same could be said to you!"

"Would the both of you stay your tongues!" Lord Oris interjected, "The circumstances of why possible suitors are eligible is not under contention!"

"Easy for all of you to say for I can assure you that it was not my son's decision to be eligible!"

"Yes, Lord Kaymib, we know of the loss of your daughter-in-law and you have all of our sympathies I'm sure but, it is as it stands," Lady Teria replied, ignoring the feud brewing between Lord Euros and Lady Lienne, "there are four suitors at this time."

Zelda, having remained quiet up until this point, suddenly stood and immediately silence filled the room and sharply quelled the growing roar of arguing voices. The queen had heard enough, she had the names of four men imprinted in her mind and she felt like she could vomit four-times over. Rather, the Hyrulean Queen held a perfect posture, her expression flawless and indifferent, and when she spoke her voice was strong an confident.

"I accept the eligibility of these suitors and I promise that my marriage will take place. I propose to allow myself until a certain time to decide, as well as to give each suitor have opportunity to properly court me, before I am to announce my engagement."

"What about Sir-"

"No, Lord Kaymib, not now…"

Zelda looked over to catch Lady Teria hastily silence the Patriarch of the Tellan Family and the Queen frowned ever so slightly. "What was that? What was said?"

Zelda watched as Teria, as well as several other council members, glance at Lord Kaymib in what looked to be annoyance as the lord stood uneasily. Glancing around, the man cleared his throat to say, "I was only saying, my lady, was in the past when council members had gotten together to discuss who might be suitors, Sir Link's name was brought up, several times in fact."

"But we realize that a knight to be a suitor is not within tradition nor is proper!"

"Though the close friendship between Her Majesty and Sir Link is evident…"

"No knight has ever been a Prince consort!"

"My son Arvid is a knight!"

"Yes, though he is also of noble blood!"

"Enough!" Zelda spoke over the rising argument of Lord Oris, Ully, and Euros, who all looked up at the queen in shock and instant guilt. "There will be no more talk of Sir Link during this meeting and while we're on the subject, I can assure each and every one of you that the relationship I have with my knight is one of strongest loyalty and friendship. Any other assumptions are ones of devious gossip and to be believed ought to give rise to shame. Sir Link put his life on the line for my sake and in the name of Hyrule and his sacrifice will not be slandered. Am I clear?"

In turn each of Zelda's Councillors apologized for their words did not help to smother the burn of irritation and sorrow ignited in the queen's bosom.

"Very well, Your Majesty," Elder Yrota spoke up to return to the task at hand, "As for these suitors and your engagement. When do you suggest such a time will be?"

Zelda froze, caught in thought and not ready to reply, though before she could Lord Euros raised his hand and said, "If I might suggest, how about the night of the Midsummer Solstice? That way, your engagement will be announced before your twenty-fourth birthday, my Queen."

"The Midsummer Solstice? That's… that's just barely four months away! Are you sure that that is enough time for Her Majesty to decide?" Lord Ully's question and expression clearly reflected that he was one of the council members also nodding their heads in agreement that such a period wasn't long enough.

"That depends upon Her Royal Highness," Euros replied, shrugging his shoulders as innocent as could be, "I just thought that it would be nice for such a grandiose announcement to come during the Midsummer Solstice Night's Ball. All of Hyrule would already be in such a festive atmosphere so… why not give the people an even greater reason to celebrate?"

No one jumped to answer immediately, though there were many council members who seemed either deep in thought or contemplating whether or not throwing their chair at Lord Euros would get them arrested. Queen Zelda sat as composed as ever but even she could not help but glance at the Patriarch of the Gefion Family and against her will, the image of Link popped into her mind.

_"That's Euros Gefion? Wow… what a puffy-looking, arrogant bastard…"_

The tiniest of smiles crept into Zelda's lips before a knife punctured her heart and sadness crept into her eyes as Link's voice faded from her memory. The woman reached up a hand and idly fingered the Triforce pendant she wore abound her neck to cover up the fact that she felt the sting of tears behind her already sleepless eyes.

But now was certainly not the time or the place to be thinking of her knight.

"Your Majesty? I believe the decision for this belongs to you or would refer that we put this to a vote for a change of date?"

Zelda turned to look over at Yrota and slowly she shook her head. Their queen stood again and together her council members joined her, all eyes upon her to await her decision. Zelda's delicate lips remained in an even line and her eyes never wavered from the space before her while beneath her practiced calm appearance, fatigue, anxiety, grief, concern, sadness, and nerves shook her core but remained hidden to all but her, the hands of the Hyrulean queen shook badly. There was a part of Zelda that felt like she had been blindsided by this investment into her marriage, but at the same time she did realize that this was an unavoidable concern that was the Council's responsibility to bring forward to ensure that the Throne of Hyrule remained filled and unchallenged. Still, why now? Why had they decided to bring this up now? Just… why, for everything?

_'Nayru… help me'._

"Let it be recorded that on the matter of my engagement, that…" Zelda paused, her lower lip hanging open, and for a moment her eyes fell but the moment ended quickly. "My engagement… will begin during the celebration of the Midsummer Solstice Night's Ball, at which time I will name the man whom will become my Prince consort. On that note, Elder Yrota, please call this meeting adjourned."

/ / / / /

"My lady? You do not look well, would you like some water?"

"No, no thank you. I'm fine."

Zelda waved off one of her ladies-in-waiting, a girl named Annalei of the Triveni Family, before the queen settled against one of the pillars in the corridor. Behind her stood her private set of doors that lead into the Council Chamber and having been freed from the room had allowed for the Hylian to breathe a bit better. A wave of exhaustion washed over Zelda and she sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose while her two ladies-in-waiting looked on in silent concern. At that moment, there was nothing more that Zelda wanted was to step into a hot bath and sink into the water but she would do no such thing. True Zelda was tired, having not being able to get more than a couple of hours of rest in the past couple of nights. Hence the reason why she was so tired, yet even so she could not sleep. With the Council over, she had another meeting with Councillor Gryffyn, an appointment with Captain Jerret, about a dozen of documents she's been avoiding stacked upon her desk, and there was something else she had to do but in the moment Zelda could not recall. Finally settling upon a stone bench, Zelda dared to tilt her head back and rest it against the cool stone.

Three days ago now was when Zelda had to be dragged away from within the infirmary while inside her knight and closest friend Link lay not-breathing upon a bed. The queen had been so upset that she needed to be carried to her own bed only having to endure a night of terrible nightmares before emerging the next morning washed, properly dressed, and seemingly fine only to request to have her schedule filled. Sleep had since eluded Zelda in fear of the nightmares that plagued her mind and keeping busy helped keep the guilt and sorrow from blinding her. Her ladies-in-waiting, Sir Faris, and apparently the entire Council were all worried about her but Zelda had endured the death of her father and Zant's Invasion, so she felt confident in being able to deal with what was happening now.

"Your Highness?"

Zelda jumped and her eyes fluttered open and in a fluster she realized that she had against her will begun to drift off and now standing there before her was a concerned-looking gentleman staring down at her. Blinking, Zelda moved to stand when the man waved her off from doing so.

"Oh no, my apologies Your Majesty, I didn't mean to startle you."

"No it's fine," Zelda replied and took in the man's appearance. He looked about her age, slightly older though, with a head full of rich chestnut and wavy hair with a trimmed goatee adorning his strong chin. At such a close distance it was plain to see that the man was strikingly handsome, with him wearing the armour and regalia of a Hyrulean knight, and the longer Zelda looked up at him the wider the man's smile began before he chuckled slightly.

"I take it that you don't remember me, Your Majesty," the man said while he glanced down at his gloves. "Mind if I join you?"

"No, I'm afraid that your name escapes me at the moment, but yes, please do."

The knight nodded his thanks and took his seat, glancing up at the two ladies-in-waiting who patiently and silently waited for their lady.

"Annalei, Audrea. Please, would the both of you go and tell my appointments for the remainder of the day that I unfortunately will have to postpone. I'm afraid that today has taken quite the hold of me." After a second of thought, Zelda turned to the daughter of the Erall Family and said, "Oh, and Audrea, would you bring to me cloak, please? Thank you, ladies."

The girls bowed their heads and obediently walked off, leaving the Queen of Hyrule with the nameless knight.

Once gone, Zelda turned towards the man and said, "Arvid, you sure have changed since last I saw you."

Arvid, blinking in surprise, opened his mouth while a shocked expression took hold of his features, but before he could speak Zelda waved him off. "Yes, I recognized you as soon as I saw you but with recent turn of events, I did not need my ladies-in-waiting eavesdropping at this time."

"So you knew me?" Arvid asked, his surprise turning into a smile and reached up to scratch his beard, "But has it not been almost ten years?"

"Eleven if I am correct. You were in the midst of your squire training and left to go train in the mountains with Sir Edbon as I recall the last time we spoke properly."

"Right! When I came back to be knighted, Zant had invaded and Sir Edbon and I did my best to help Castle Town but it was…. " Arvid paused and a sweep of sadness seeped into his expression but it disappeared quickly with the return of his smile, "We did what we could do at the time."

"And since then? You have been knighted a few years now… where have you been?"

"I've been mainly in Kakariko Village, helping out with the restoration and whatnot there. It's nice, I guess, but ah…" the chuckled slightly, "I guess more so I stay there to avoid being here in Castle Town and all, too much drama and… family for my liking."

Zelda looked over at the heir to the Arianwen Family with a slight look of surprise, for it wasn't everyday that a Hyrulean noble admitted to not loving being a noble. Arvid looked up to catch his queen's expression and he let out a slight chuckle and shrugged.

"I know what you must be thinking and I can admit, that when I was younger I was as haughty and arrogant as the best of them."

"The best memory that I have of you as a child was when you pulled my hair and then ran off with Hyrulean Soldiers chasing after you…"

"Oh, you remember that?" Arvid bit his lower lip as his grin turned to a smirk. "I apologize, Your Majesty, again, I suppose… But! It wasn't long after that happened that I became a page and really became focused on becoming a knight."

"Yes… but didn't you become a page _because_ you pulled my hair and your father thought that it was an appropriate punishment?"

Arvid hesitated, an amused expression filling his expression, before he looked at his queen and smiled. "I see that you are right, so I believe that you have my gratitude for having tempting braids to pull, for then I might not have become a knight otherwise."

At that, a smile finally breached Zelda's lips in the time of her life when she thought that she'd never truly smile again. Arvid grinned with triumph and he interlocked his hands, looking ahead. "I'm glad that I was able to coax a smile from you, Your Majesty. I understand that you are going through a rough time at the moment." When Zelda's face immediately fell, Arvid's expression became serious as well. "You have my sympathies and support, Your Highness."

"Thank you, Sir Arvid, I appreciate your words." Straightening her posture, Zelda took a breath and reached up to slide a hair back behind her ear, "Did you seek me out simply to see how I was fairing? Or…" Zelda turned to meet his brown eyes with her own piecing blues, "did you come because of certain _other_ recent events?"

Arvid shifted uncomfortably under his queen's keen stare and he looked away, reaching up to run his fingers through his thick hair. "I can only assume that you are referring to your proposed engagement?"

"It would seem that I was the last in all of Hyrule to be informed that it was being discussed," Zelda said with a chill in her voice.

Quickly, Arvid turned and fell to his knee before his queen, hands up in defence, "Please, Your Majesty, I only found out myself last night when I arrived back in town that my father and the Council were planning on bringing it to your attention today. I can assure you that I was as shocked as I'm sure that you are feeling now."

"Yet I see you upon your knee before me."

Arvid looked down and his face went immediately red and in a flash, he stood on his feet and he turned on his heel, his Hyrulean blue cape wavering with his flustered movements. Clearing his throat, Arvid looked over his shoulder and his bemused queen. "From what I can see, you and I share similar feelings on the matter. To be honest, if I wasn't a knight I would probably be married already but…" The knight sighed and turned to look upon his queen, expression confused and troubled. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. I can only assume what you must be feeling, concerning Sir Link, and now having to deal with this. I came here today to let you to know that… I hope you understand that as your knight, you have my full loyalty and I will try to help you in any way I can, even if it means avoiding you since now I'm in a position that… well, you know, being a suitor I guess."

Zelda watched one of her knight stumble over his words, his appearance uncomfortable, but his words she could tell held truth. Taking to her feet, Zelda came to the man's side and gently set her hand on his shoulder and met his eyes. "Thank you, Sir Arvid," she said softly, nodding to him to which he turned and bowed low in reply. "Have a good evening, sir knight. I'm sure that I will be seeing you soon…"

"My lady."

Turning her back on the man, Zelda took her leave and strode down the corridor. Near the end of the hall, her ladies-in-waiting appeared and wordlessly she allowed them to help her into her cloak before she gave them her leave. This day had been enough for the Hylian woman, these past three days even more so. Her footfalls echoed down corridors and halls as the Queen of Hyrule made her way through her castle into the northern wing, down a path that was ingrained into her memory. With how she was feeling, even as exhausted and emotionally rattled as she was, Zelda could only think of one place were she might find some solace.

Rounding yet another corner, Zelda came to a set of grand doors with a pair of guardsmen standing at attention. Upon seeing their cloaked queen the men bowed and opened the doors on her approach and once she was completely inside the room, the heavy doors were closed behind her. The room was dark save for the light that filtered in through stained-glass windows to cast an array of colours down upon the tiled floor. Zelda slowed her steps to a slow walk as she past the busts of the noble heads of past kings of Hyrule, her ancestors. Adorning the walls were murals and portraits of kings and queens all captured in their royal garb and grandeur, yet Zelda paid them no mind either, for her focus rested on the statue of the Royal Family Crest that stood at the end of the corridor of royal remembrance.

Stopping before the statue, Zelda looked up at the fine craftsmanship and reached out to touch her left hand upon the stone Triforce. Almost immediately, the stature began to move aside and after a few moments a doorway hidden behind the statue became exposed and the woman continued on through it. The corridor was dark and small and the further she walked the colder the air became until Zelda came upon a dead-end. Undaunted, once again the Hylian woman reached out to touch her hand upon the stone and the wall slid away having responded to her royal blood as the Hylian Crest had before.

Stepping out into the late winter's air, Zelda gathered her cloak abound her shoulders as she entered a somber and white sanctuary. The sky above was a stunning blue with white clouds peeking out from behind the high walls that encircled the secret grotto yet the sunny day did little to lift the woman's spirits. Walking forward, each step Zelda took snow scrunched beneath her shoes, having become deep in places from being undisturbed and the winds having whipping up drifts in places due to the surrounding walls. Ignoring the growing cold in her feet, Zelda followed the buried path and walked onward slowly; on either side of her stood the snow covered tombstones of her ancestors. The first of the rows of headstones were withered, old, and eroded from the wind and rain, but the deeper Zelda walked into the secret graveyard the more recent and newer the headstones became.

Finally Zelda came before a grand headstone bearing two names and attached to the top was the Triforce made up of stone. Snow was smeared across the front of the grave and Zelda gently stepped closer to clear away the snow and revealed the names of whom was buried beneath the snow and ground.

_Forever Here Lies_

_Queen Adelheide Lunalillith &amp; King Arawn Emmett Kobayne III of the House of Othorwen_

"Father, Mother. Forgive me for having not visited recently. It has been…. Busy as of late and I have not been able to find the time."

Zelda knelt before the grave of her parents and bowed her head for a few minutes as she said a silent prayer of remembrance up to the Three Goddesses and to call upon her parents to hear her words.

Lifting her head, Zelda remained silent and her eyes grew sad and for the first time that day, how tired Zelda felt reflected in her features with the slump of her shoulders and the tremble in her lips. Looking upon her father's name, Zelda took in a shaky breath and as tears prickled her eyes, she whispered, "Father, I have always tried to do what was best and to make you proud, but now I find myself feeling lost and in need of your guidance. You always said that I would not need to worry about my future, that you wanted me to be happy but…" Closing her eyes and stumbling with her words, Zelda's arms shook and the snow she was kneeling in was not the cause. Taking a deep breath and blinking frantically to fight away the threat of tears, the woman continued to speak, "I do not understand, Father. Did you mean by wanting for me to be happy to find my own way when it came to love and marriage or when I was ready? Now I am faced with the undertaking with only a few months to decide though it feels like my heart cannot bear to consider the handling of marriage when it is being crushed by the weight of the sadness that fills me."

Gripping some snow in her bare hand, Zelda bowed her hand and stared into the whiteness and to watch the first of her tears fall into the snow to bore holes into the white blanket. "I am not ready, Father, but I know that I have no choice, that even if I tried that I would only be able to hold off a union for so long. The people of Hyrule deserve and await the growth of their Royal Family and I do not want to fail them or you but…." Lifting her tearful eyes back to her father's name, Zelda swallowed and tears fell down her cheeks before she said, "You had said that you would always be there for me, that I would not need to worry about my betrothal, yet you have left me with nothing and now… I do not even have my closest friend to turn to and ask for his advice."

Zelda wanted to say more, to empty out her sorrow and heartache but a sob closed her throat and the Queen of Hyrule quietly wept in the growing shadow of the high castle walls over the remains of her parents. She knew that her questions and pleas would not be answered and the silence that surrounded her pressed heavily upon her feelings of loneliness, yet tears continued to fall down her fair cheeks. Zelda wanted so badly just as much to sleep, but she feared the nightmares that came when she closed her eyes, and she wanted to hold the hand of Link and wish for him to wake, but the cold touch of his skin terrified her and she could not bare to look upon his pale, unresponsive face without completely losing her sangfroid again.

When all of her tears had fallen, Zelda gently wiped her eyes and took a few calming breaths to regain herself but she did not stand from the spot. Even though her legs had grown cold and wet from the snow, Zelda diligently bowed her head once again to send another prayer to her parents and only then did she stand and without another word, turned her back on her parents' tombstone. The chill in her legs failed to phase the woman at all for her mind was adrift on a dozen other thoughts and crying had left a numbness in her emotions. Walking back towards the hidden wall and exit, Zelda passed a barren tree and her attention was caught by a large tombstone nearby.

_ "Father, come here! Look at this!"_

_ "What is it my child?"_

_ A richly dressed man looked up from his wife's grave back over to where his young daughter could be seen kneeling before one of the many tombstones standing in the hidden graveyard of the Royal Family of Hyrule. The day was bright, the grass was a rich green and the trees were in full bloom in the spring air. Amused, the man stood and came to join his daughter who was obviously trying very hard to read the stone's inscription._

_ "The cu-cursed swords men… Father, help me read this, please!"_

_ Kneeling next to his young child, the man read the inscription and chuckled deeply. Looking aside to meet his daughter's eyes, the man said, "Its says, 'The cursed swordsman… sleeps before… the sacred tree'. I find it amusing that you are interested by this grave, my daughter."_

_ "Why, Father? Who is this? What does 'cursed' mean?"_

_ "Well… I happened to ask my grandfather the same question when I just a bit older than you are now, won't you know. And he told me of the legend that is attached to this gravestone." The man then took up his daughter into his lap to retell the tale._

The memory faded from Zelda's memory but her father's voice and his story filled her mind as she came before the lonely tombstone just as she had twenty or so years before. Reaching out, Zelda traced with her finger the inscription and the words 'swordsman' when yet another memory appeared in her mind, though this one was of Link from only a few days before as they rode along and he spoke of the Hero of Time and wishing that he could know more about his predecessor.

"Father said that according to legend, the cursed swordsman was a famed knight who protected the Royal Family in a great crisis but when he met his demise, he was cursed by the Goddesses for his past transgressions…" Furrowing her brow in thought, Zelda stared up at the swordsman's legacy and recalled what Link had told her of what the Hero's Shade had told him. "A cursed knight…" she whispered before a slight breeze swept down from the castle's walls and swirled around the kneeling queen, brushing across her face and shifting her cloak. Going on pure intuition and her trust in the Goddesses, Zelda bowed her head and muttered out a small prayer.

"I pray to the one known as the Hero of Time, the Hero's Shade, and the Golden Wolf, to watch over and protect Link, Hero Chosen by the Gods, and to bring him to the Light. I beg of thee and honour thee."

With the prayer spoken, Zelda stood and exited the graveyard without looking back.

/ / / / /

A fire was burning in her room by the time Zelda returned and her ladies-in-waiting had been thoughtful enough to draw her a bath in anticipation. Dismissing the girls, Zelda was left alone and quickly disrobed from her damp and cold cloak and dress and stepped into the hot water that was coloured a light green from soothing salts and oils having been added to the water. Tingles washed over her nude body the deeper the woman submerged until the water was up to her collarbone and her brunette hair flowed out around her. Removing her jewelry and setting it on a side table, Zelda therapeutically undid her hair to free it and allow it to spill into the water unhindered. Sinking into the water up to her chin, the woman slipped into her thoughts and considered the sense that what she had done before the swordsman's gravestone had felt right, though whether she was correct or not she did not know.

The hot water helped to relax the Hyrulean Queen and the chill of the winter's snow was quickly forgotten in her legs. Sighing in slight relief, Zelda felt better in the sense that she had regained her calm composure and had her emotions under control, at least for the moment. Resting her head back against the rim of the tub, Zelda looked up at the mosaic-tied ceiling that depicted female Zora dancing and playing harps in a watery scene, though slowly her defences fell and her mind began to breach into the darkness that Zelda had been trying not to think of. Against her wishes, Zelda's felt her eyelids becoming heavy and she had the notion to leave the bath and see to the papers upon her desk, that she had to write a letter to King Ralis, and that she needed to…

_"Please, open your eyes, come on Link…. Faris, please! No…"_

Jumping awake and splashing water onto the floor, Zelda hastily sat up and wiped her face, looking around frantically as her heart pounded. Thankfully she saw that she was still in her bathroom. Holding her forehead in her hand, the woman took a few deep breaths to settle down her beating heart. Just when she was sure that she had gathered herself together, Zelda flinched when a knocking came through the door and it opened slowly.

"Lady Zelda? Did you hear me calling? Oh, my lady! Are you still in the tub? The water must be cold by now."

Zelda blinked at the charming and plump looking woman in her doorway and looked down at the water and realized that it was true, that no longer steam rose from the water and the water was barely lukewarm now. Had she slept that long?

"Imala, forgive me, I must have fallen asleep."

"Well then it is a good thing I came when I did, lest you might have fallen under the water or caught a cold. Now, come here, my girl, and let me wrap up with this fresh towel."

Obediently, Zelda stood and allowed the woman to wrap the soft and warm towel abound her body before Imala helped her from the tub. Imala was a middle-aged woman, in her mid-fifties, and had been Zelda's nurse even before her mother had died. Imala had been the Queen Adelheide's lady-in-waiting and when Zelda was born, she became her nurse. In a sense, Imala was the main mother figure Zelda has had throughout out her life since she had only fragmented memories of her true mother. Making sure Zelda was properly wrapped, Imala lead her queen back into the main room where after Zelda had dried, Imala helped her into a thick and soft robe and had her sit next to the fire.

Retrieving a silver tray, Imala got to work pouring Zelda some tea while she spoke, "Really, Lady Zelda, you must really get your rest. Have you even eaten today? I believe not for I found your breakfast untouched and you have been in Council all day plus out visiting your parents. Yes, I know where you were, it wasn't that hard to figure out." Handing Zelda her cup and sitting down herself, Imala looked over at Zelda with her round cheeks and motherly eyes.

"I'm fine, Imala, it's just… hard." Zelda's admission came out quietly and she stared sadly into her tea cup, her eyes tired and defeated.

Imala's features softened and she sighed. "Your Highness, I understand some of which you are going through and feeling. When I lost my son Riker, goddesses bless him, when that damned Zant attacked, I felt so hollow and sad that I thought that I would drown in my tears and I didn't want to eat or nothing. Plus on top of it all, I had lost you as well with you being captured and no one knew if you dead or alive." Reaching over, Imala took hold of Zelda's hand and the woman's smiled brightened her face and was enough to coax a small smile from Zelda also, "But I learned to cope and be strong for I was proud of my son and I want you to know that you always have me to talk to about Sir Link, that poor boy…"

"Thanks Imala," Zelda said sincerely, "and I will be okay, it's just only been a couple days is all and I've been trying to keep busy to keep my mind off things."

"I know, dear, but you shouldn't run yourself down, you're exhausted for Farore's sake! I don't believe Sir Link would want that just because what happened to him. How about I get you some soup and perhaps a tonic to help you sleep, hm? You need to eat something, dear."

Nodding, Zelda gave in and said, "Fine, Imala, soup sounds great. Thank you."

Zelda watched her nurse leave her room and after sipping down her tea, the woman got up and went over to her large wardrobe to retrieve a long-sleeved nightdress. Letting her thick robe fall to the ground, Zelda changed quickly, put the robe back on, and went over to her desk. Drearily she regarded the stacks of papers, documents, forms and blank letter paper and sighed before she turned her back on her work. Tomorrow, they could wait until tomorrow because Imala was right, she shouldn't run herself as she was and if Link was there, he would have said basically the same as Imala.

Thinking of Link made Zelda's heart ache but she was aware that she wasn't the only one. Word had spread quickly across Hyrule of what happened at the West Gate and to Link, even details concerning what had occurred in the infirmary much to Zelda's irritation. What also was known was how Zelda had broken down in the hall outside of the infirmary and had to be carried away because she had been so distraught. Now Zelda had to add the pressure of marriage and suitors to her plate and on that particular subject, she was at a complete loss. Her father had died of a heart attack about six years ago now and his will held no enlightenment on the subject aside from the adamant assertion that Zelda receive sealed letters written by her mother that were to be opened after Zelda's coronation.

Remembering the letters, Zelda looked over to a small locked chest on her bureau where the letters were stored. Her fingers twitched and on a whim, Zelda went over and retrieved the key to open the chest. Hearing the click of the lock, Zelda swung open the lid and stared down at the collection of letters from her late mother, all unopened. Zelda barely remembered her mother, let alone knew her, and her father did not like talking about his wife so the only true information Zelda had about the Queen Adelheide was from her reputation, what Imala had told of her, and the queen's portraits. In a sense, her own mother was a complete stranger to her. To this day, Zelda did not fully understand why she held such hesitation in regards to her mother and why she had disobeyed her late mother's wishes to have her letters opened when Zelda herself became queen. Reaching into the chest, Zelda picked up a particularly thick envelope and gazed evenly at the delicate cursive of her name, written by her own mother's hand.

Turning the envelope over, Zelda regarded the unbroken seal of the Royal Family's Crest and slowly her fingers crept towards the golden wax when a frantic knock came upon the door. Posthaste, Zelda put away the letters and set the chest back in its place on the bureau before she went over to the door, assuming that it was Imala returning with the soup. As she approached the door, she heard the voices of men and Zelda slowed in her footing.

With another knock, Zelda called out, "Yes, the door is open," as she gathered closed her robe.

When the door opened, there stood a pair of her guardsmen along with another soldier bearing the regalia of a Fencemen, as the Hyrulean Soldiers stationed at the walls have become to be named. Upon seeing their queen, all three men bowed in respect and addressed her properly.

"Rise. What has happened?" Zelda asked as the men straightened and only then did the queen noticed that the Fenceman held a strange satchel in his hand.

"Nothing, Your Majesty," replied one of the guardsmen, "All is well but a message has come from the Gerudo."

"The Gerudo?" Zelda repeated in surprise and met the eyes of the Fenceman.

"Yes, Your Majesty, and I was instructed to give this package to no one but you."

"Me? Well, what does it concern?"

"Forgive me but it concerns Sir Link, Your Majesty."


	7. Chapter Seven: Reflection

I do not know who am I, what I am, or where I am. The only thing that I do know for sure is that I must continue to run lest I meet a terrible fate. Now, for how long now I have been pursued, I can't recall, for there is no way in telling how much time has passed in all of this darkness. I woke up alone some time ago without having any clue or idea about anything, like not even knowing my own damned name! The only real, tangible thing I have now to cling on to is the fear that drives me onward through this hellhole towards some unknown destination. All around me there are shadows and dull, grey landscapes, as if all of the colours of the world have been sucked dry by some greedy deity, leaving nothing but an empty and bleak reality. I mean, I can't much remember what colours look like anyway but something tells me from far deep within my mind that the dark skies above me and the monotone world I'm in is not where I ought to be. Though, now that I think about it, the fact that I know something about colours means that they must exist… but where? Or do they? Where are they? Where the hell am I? Though why I'm thinking about this all I have no fucking clue. Maybe it's just my rationality trying to bundle as much knowledge together in the attempt to keep my sanity from slipping, or maybe I've already lost my mind! Who knows! Because, I sure as hell don't know anymore and I can't fully decide if I really want to know. I know that I should keep running and find somewhere to hide far from here before _they _find me. I just need… need to catch my breath, for a short moment at least.

Collapsing behind a large and black rock with my chest heaving and my face dripping with sweat, I set my utterly confused and terrified head against the cold boulder and try for the moment to catch my breath... but it's not doing much good. I just can't slow down my heart and my paranoia keeps me from shutting my eyes any longer than a blink, but I suppose it's all for a good cause. Barely I was able to escape from those… _things_, whatever they are. My hands, they're shaking so badly that they're almost vibrating with nerves and my hat… well, if you can call this thing a hat because it looks more like a floppy, useless, black piece of material that sits on my head. Why am I even wearing this thing? It doesn't even cover my entire head! Oh well, back on my head you go floppy, floppy black hat! Well, the fact that my hat thing is greyish-black comes with little surprise, considering that my entire outfit consists of a fascinating black and grey palate. I mean… this world, wherever it is, has been completely leached of colour and why this bothers me so much I can't quite pinpoint. I just know, deep down… that it's wrong! I can feel it, right in the pit of my stomach I know that where I am is just… wrong.

With my back against the coldness of the large rock, I dare to take the moment to look around me at the landscape rather than fleetingly taking in obstacles to avoid as I ran. The trees around me are so gnarled, twisted, and lifeless, standing like frozen sentinels of misery and catastrophe in this world of shadows. Such lovely scenery; an ideal local for any holiday! The heavy sigh from my mouth fills the still air and slowly my breathing steadies while my mind registers the day's events thus far.

As I mentioned I woke up alone, though when I woke up it was from my own screaming from some dark nightmare that was filled with fire and ice; however, the moment my eyes snapped open to stare up at a nasty and angry sky my memory was erased, as was my identity. My entire body was aching and sore, filled with the echoes of strain and pain, yet my head was empty and devoid of everything. I had panicked, sitting up to hysterically to look around me and like a fool I continued to scream and shout in alarm. As I cried out, I frantically began to feel all over myself: my arms, my legs, my chest, and my face, to see if they were real because the cold thought that I might just disappear wouldn't vanish from my mind. My voice echoed across the grey landscape, filling it with noise and stirring the musty air with vibrations. It was during those frenzied first moments of my screaming that _they_ heard me. I was such an idiot, I drew them to me, and I know that now. It was the first howl that had finally shut me up, freezing my mouth open, my tongue became a ghost and turned the blood in my veins into ice from fright.

"This is a dream! Just a dream… It's just a dream…. Come on! Wake up! Come…. Oh fuck! What? No! What's my name? What… I… I can't remember! How can I forget my name! Where the hell am I? And…"

As much as I had wanted to just close my eyes and make everything go away, the growing echoes of the howling in the distance stilled my whispered words and quickened my heart rate double time. There was an instinctive feeling within me to not move, to remain where I was and hope that whatever beast was howling wouldn't find me, but I was in the middle of a wide expanse of rock and stone and was completely exposed. So, I began to run. The footfalls of my boots echoed across the rocks and against boulders and my gait sped up when I heard wicked growling and the scraping of racing claws at my back when my pursuers caught sight of my fleeing figure. My hurting body cried out with each step I took but the adrenaline and desperation in my veins smothered any further complaints for the time being. Dodging around boulders, sliding down into shallow ravines, leaping over crevices in the stone, I ran onwards while the creatures behind me never deterred from their frightened prey. At moments I dared to sneak a glance back and each time I did so, I wished I hadn't.

Not once did I truly catch a clear image of what exactly was chasing me, but I did get the impression of a four-legged creature with black fur and bared deadly teeth. Any further details I knew that I could live without knowing, for I did intend to keep on living as long as I was able... and don't get me wrong, I still do intend on living for a while. Steadily, the chase brought me from a barren, rocky environment to where these hauntingly dead trees stand as a poor substitute of a forest. The fact that such trees exist at first made me think that perhaps there had been a time when this land had been filled with life. This thought lasted only until I ran around one particular boulder and crashed into a fallen tree that I realized that these trees have never been alive, that the grey of this world has always ruled. Why? As soon as my hand came into contact with the tree the sickly grey bark crumbled into ashes with the slightest of pressure. Fake, dead, and dark, that what these trees were. The only things remotely alive in this world so far were my only _friends _and me.

Speaking of which, how I managed to lose my four-legged friends was rather by fortunate accident. I had been running still, though the burning in my legs and lungs was becoming unbearable and I knew that it wouldn't be long before I collapsed with exhaustion. In front of me had been a fairly large rock that I was sure that I could jump over and stupidly I had dared to look back to see that the beasts were gaining on me. Alas, when I jumped the rock I didn't see that on the other side of it was a steep slope of give or take twenty or so feet. I fell hard, sliding most of the way down before tumbling the last few feet and landed on my back with a bone-jarring thud. My stupid, floppy-flop hat did nothing to protect my head from hitting a few rocks on the way down… good job, floppy hat! Through my agony, I managed to get up and limply jog to this big boulder and it would seem that my blunder has given those beasts the slip for the moment at least.

And that's my story up to this very moment and though it may not be long, it's all I have to hold onto, but…

"Is there truly a point to running when there is no hope in sight?"

My own words echo with faint desperation and my lips go dry when only a howl in the near distance answers me. There seems to be no solace for the damned and doomed in this world and looking around this gorge I've found myself in, there appears to be little option of escape. True, I've managed to evade my pursuers but now I might be trapped and I'm running on little reserves of energy as it is. A wave of loneliness crashes against my senses and pulling up my knees to my chest, making myself a smaller speck of meaningless in the world, I gaze up at the tall walls of rock that encase me. There is a part of me that wants to get back on my feet and face those beasts, to take them head on and go down trying, but then again there's that small voice whispering in my ears that I need help.

"But even if I called out, no help will come… I'm on my own here."

Coldness takes hold of my mind, a quiet reserve, and my eyelids close in fear as another howl fills the air and echoes through the gorge. Wrapping my arms around my legs and resting my chin on my knee, I sigh one more time and all of my ambition evacuates my being. To be left alone to linger on my spiralling thoughts is a desire I find myself considering, to remain where I sit and to just let those dark beasts find me, to give up and give in. Who cares about a man with no name? What do I really have to live for? Are echoes of forgotten memories, pain in all of my limbs and a floppy, black hat worth further exhausting myself? Yes, that's it, the beasts want my hat… Perfect. These things are all I have as well as my fear, and hell yes I have enough of that to share, and the only things I know that I could possibly share it with are my howling, probably violent friends.

The growling was what caused my eyes to snap back open, it was so close that it cut through the air into my ears like sharpened knives. Icy cold panic sprang my body back into standing and I pressed my back against the boulder while with wide, frightened eyes I saw that three black beasts faced me, cornering me against the rock. Had I fallen asleep? Had time skipped? Or had these… these…. Wolves! Had they snuck up on me so easily? The tiniest sense of realization that the beasts were in fact wolves was enough to make my eyes blink and I took a gasp to refill my terrified lungs with what was probably one of my last breaths. Three pairs of angry, red eyes were all fixated on my pathetic, trapped self and I didn't even bother trying to look for a way to run because there were none. This was it, my time was up, and my marathon of fear might finally come to an end.

With the wolves poised before me, the largest one in the centre with the other two covering it flanks and my possibilities of escape, I was finally able to truly get a good look at the beasts. Each wolf had eyes the colour of burning embers that gave off a hot glow of fury and malevolence and their snapping jaws were slicked with sickly foam and spittle while their white and deadly fangs were licked by a tainted-coloured tongue, which slathered their maws with more drool. The inky black fur made my head hurt to look at too closely because, while the pelts appeared to be of long, shaggy and matted fur, when I tried focusing on them they appeared murky and viscous, as if the wolves were made up of polluted smoke and tar. Wait! My eyes widen and I stare into the lead wolf's eyes because... they're red! Colour! If I wasn't about to die I probably would be pretty shocked by the sight, for even a deadly red was welcomed in a world of shades.

My chest is heaving, my heart has become a petrified drum, and my entire body is trembling so much that it's probably a miracle that I'm still standing. I cannot look away from the centre wolf, even as it snaps its jaws, growling along with its pack, and with its ebony hackles on end it steps towards me and I know that I am about to die. Still, I raise my chin the slightest, narrow my eyes and set my mouth in a hard line; if I am about to die then I will do so with at least a scrap of dignity. The lead wolf stamps its paws in challenge before it crouched and lowered its head, readying for an attack. With a growled bark it lunges with fangs bared and finally, I brace myself for the end blow because this is it and there is no use fighting; I hold my last breath and a strange calm consumes me. I look away but not before my eyes lock with the charging wolf and I can see triumph in the beast. I press the side of my face against the smoothness of glass and dark laughter fills my ears as I die…

Wait.

Opening my eyes as laughter grows around me, my fingers slide across the seamless solid that I'm leaning against and with a gasp I jerk away in surprise. What used to a boulder has now turned into what looks to be a mirror, though I'm only able to comprehend this for about second before I jump back towards the mirror when I finally realize that the malicious mirth surrounding me is coming from the wolves themselves. Except now, the wolves aren't wolves anymore, but have been replaced with three identical figures that have all kept their red eyes but have now gained the ability to smile in apparent amusement of my fear and confusion. The wolf-turned-man who had lunged at me is standing not even a foot away and I shudder as he chuckles darkly when he watches me press myself against the mirror in a frail attempt to get as far away from him as I possibly can.

"Like a timid rabbit you have lead us on a most delicious chase but we have finally caught up with you and the game is over."

All of my fear, my shaking, my internal screaming and shock freeze when the figure speaks. With a blink I realize that he sounds so very familiar, yet my broken brain cannot piece together from where. The figure, with his twisted smirk, runs his fingers through his bangs and sets his other hand on his hip, taking on an air of such thick haughtiness I could choke.

"It is so truly nice to see you and how naughty of you to keep us waiting. It has been… so long, but I can tell from your stupid face that you are beyond confused, which I must say is rather satisfying."

Before I can react, his hand takes my chin and his nose touches mine and I'm wide-eyed once again from utter shock. I feel more than hear his tongue lick his lips and I become very aware just how close our bodies have become. I want to push him off, to get my personal space back, but with minimal effort, his other hand suddenly painful grips my wrist and twists it, forcing me around as I cry out with pain and he presses hard against my back, his face in my hair and lips to my ear.

"Silly little boy… So blind when all you need to do is open your eyes to see the truth. Mm, your fear smells delightful, I must add..."

With a shove, the pressure from his body and vice grip of his hand vanishes and I cough, not having realized that I had been holding my breath the entire time. Taking a few unsteady steps back from the mirror, I take up my wrist to rub the ache in it whilst annoyance and slight violation edges into my expression. Just as I'm about to turn back around to face the psychotic bastard and punch him in the face I stop. Fuck… the guy was telling the truth, all I really did was open my eyes because now I could see, and what I saw was me, and me… and me two more times.

Standing there reflected in the mirror four times over was the same person except that three figures shared the same red eyes and were all smirking viciously while the fourth and closest to the mirror had blue eyes and a very bewildered expression. Reaching up to touch his face, I watched the figure with blue eyes take in his grey hair, dark skin, black hat, monotone tunic, greaves, boots and black was a reason why the bastard sounded so familiar and why having him so close felt so wrong, because he was the same person as… me! We're all the same! My fingers come up the side of my face and I stare into my own eyes and seeing the blue within them, like two rare sapphires in a world of ash, makes me tremble a bit. Blue eyes... I have blue eyes... Why does knowing that make me want to cry?

"What the fuck… the fuck is going on?" I shout my question at the red-eyed bastard as I spin on my heel to face the trio of me, my hand still at my cheek in shock but my blue eyes are narrowed in fury, my earlier fear having been burned away and my pains forgotten momentarily. "Why the hell do you have my face? Who are you? What do you want with me?"

Another bout of dark laughter fills the canyon as the bastard in front of me cackles with hateful glee and sweeping his bangs from his eyes, he raises a brow at me and it makes me want to punch him all the more. "Well, isn't it obvious? We want you! We want your skin, your blood, your muscles and eyes, your tongue, face, and most of all… we want your heart and your soul. We want it all! We want you… _brother_!"

By sheer instinct I dodge with not a second to spare, for I narrowly miss savage teeth bearing down on my throat when my red-eyed twin suddenly transforms and attacks, smashing into the mirror and breaking it from my feint. Bolting forward, I slam my boot into one of my other doppelgänger blocking my way, catching him in the groin before I shoulder past and sprint deeper into the canyon. Within seconds, my story has come full circle for once again I find myself being chased with the sound of beastly growls and claws upon rock joining in my echoing footfalls. After being chased, cornered, partially molested, confronted by my red-eyed triplets and then told that I shall be torn apart and eaten, it would seem that I have found my second wind. Adrenaline has graced me with its presence once again and my legs are working hard to keep up my speed as I venture down the canyon floor. Around me the walls of the ravine are high and impassable and the canyon itself increasingly becomes more closed in to the point that the wolves behind me are forced to continue chasing in single file.

Rounding a corner, I blink when suddenly the rocks walls face away and within a few steps I am forced to skid to a stop with only a few inches to spare lest I want to fall off a cliff. Taking a fleeting look over the edge, I spin around to face my assailants, all of whom have joined each other's sides and are firmly blocking the only possible escape. Bending my knees to take up a fighting stance and balling my fists, I lower my eyes and glare at the trio of wolves as I inch my heels back until I feel that they're at the very edge. My breaths come out evenly and steadily, my heart beats surely and calmly, and with a firm resolve I stare down my would-be devourers and face my fate.

"Even though I have no fucking clue who I am, I know sure as hell that I'm nothing like you bastards!"

The lead wolf, growling and snarling furiously, charges forward but I jump back, my own smug smirk breaching my lips, and I fall. Spreading my arms wide, the wind is welcomed and I stare up at the grey sky the further into the unknown I descend into. Above, I hear over the howling of the wind the howling of infuriated wolves and I am able to make out the dark shape of a landmass suspended in the sky before clouds erase it from my view. An island in the sky… is that where I was? Since when do islands float? So if I am in the sky, where will I fall to? Or, have I just leapt on the very edge of the world and must now fall for all of eternity through empty space? Do I care either way? Becoming heavy-lidded, my adrenaline having been expended and my energy having been burnt, I discover that indeed I no longer care. I have escaped from the literal jaws of death and falling for an eternity or into an unknown abyss sounded very much like a better outcome.

I'm tired and keeping my eyes open is proving to be difficult against the wind and besides, this grey world holds no appeal to me. Closing my eyes, I descend into darkness so when I collide with the water, I feel nothing. One moment I am surrounded by air, the next it's water, but still I make no move to do nothing. With eyes closed, my arms float lifelessly around me as I drift through eternal darkness and sink lower into the silence of the black ocean. Am I drowning? Is this how I will die? Do I care yet?

The burning in my chest I ignore and I allow the coldness of the dark ocean to numb my body against the pain of dying. Surrounded by darkness a face suddenly appears in my drifting mind and my eyes snap open to the darkness. For a moment I flail my arms, attempting for the surface, but any notion of up or down has been swallowed by the obscurity and I become still again. Blinking underwater, the face of the woman that I see is hauntingly beautiful and painfully sad, it's a person I do not know but seeing the sadness in her features makes me frown; my fingers twitch weakly and my outstretched arm searches through the water for the sad woman in vain. Why do I care so much about this woman? How do I know her? How have I remembered her? Why do I feel like I'm letting her down, like I've broken a promise? Why does her sadness affect me so? Why does her sadness make me feel regret about dying? If I care about her but not myself, does that mean I consider her happiness more important than my life? So many questions I have, with only silence as an answer. I feel my eyes begin to close for the final time, my body having become numb from the cold and lack of oxygen and I hold onto the woman's image for as long as the darkness will allow me, my arm still above me reaching to her and to my last connections to life.

I am distantly aware how the water around me feels like it's becoming thicker, pressing against every square inch of my body, as if the darkness has manifested and congealed with the decision to swallow me up into oblivion. Just before my eyes close for good, rays of light and brightness sharply and suddenly cut through the black like swords of alabaster cutting through black tar. A beam of light finds my face and its stark contrast from the grey and black world that has been my entire existence was shock enough to coax me from the brink of death enough to peek open my eyes. A hand, shielded by the light and bearing a symbol of a trio of triangles, appears from above me and grips my outstretched hand. Great strength suddenly pulls me from my cradle of watery darkness and the ocean tugs at my body to remain, but the hand from the light is too strong and I am hauled up and out of the water before finally losing consciousness, at least I think I passed out...

"Link! Link! Come on now! Open your eyes! I refuse to lose you like this after searching for so long so open your eyes, you stubborn bastard!"

The voice, so familiar and so demanding, barrages against the darkness of my mind and my eyelids peek open before a wave of nausea attacks me from within and I turn over to begin coughing, gagging and heaving. I feel a strong and warm hand at my back, coaxing me to cough up all of the black liquid from my lungs and only when I finished hacking loudly do I begin to take notice of the warmth all of me, the wind through my hair, and the open brightness all around me. Turning over stiffly, being helped by the same warm hand from before, my weak eyes half-open to look up at a face beneath golden hair parted down the centre and a single blue eye, for the other was closed by a long scar. This man… this man of colour, is so familiar, and is looking down at me and he is smiling wide. I don't know what to think, what to do, or say until my mouth moves on its own accord.

"What did you call me?"

His bright and easy laughter dwarfs my weak question and I can only blink when he suddenly wraps his arms around me and takes me in close for a hug though, it takes me a second or two register the gesture as such. Looking over the man's armoured shoulder, I can see nothing but open space, a sky of shifting clouds or smoke that is oddly calming and like the man, distantly familiarly.

"Link! It is you! Oh, how I feared that I would be too late and I nearly was! Fear not, now, I shall return you. Thank the goddesses that she summoned me to search for you when she did, your liege. Without her prayers I never would have known just how far into the darkness you had fallen. Fear not, my son, I shall bring you safely back to the world of the light!"

"What now? Who…?"

My questions come upon dry lips and the weakness in my body is disabling my ability to speak. The man gently holds me back so that his eye can meet mine again and his smile, seeing it for some reason makes me want to cry but I do not know why. I feel my face twist with confusion, fear, shock and above all relief, so when I feel fat tears stream down my face I pay them no heed and only frown when the man's expression softens. From this angle, I am able to see that the man is in fact some sort of warrior, for he is adored in ornate armour and a red cape I can see is billowing out behind him from the wind. Speaking of the wind, my fingertips hanging by my legs feel feathery softness and then I realize that they are feathers and the wind isn't actually wind but is simply the air movement caused by flight. We are flying… we are flying? Panic stirs my movements but the knight is quick to quiet me as I stare wide-eyed at the large, scarlet, with purple and yellow tipped wings flap confidently on either side of us that belongs to the large bird we are riding through the ethereal skies. Twisting my head around, I realize that I'm sitting backwards and my mouth falls open when the large yellow eye of the bird meets mine and the great bird's call fills the air and it's a musically pleasant sound but still, it makes me shake and I suddenly want to hide under the knight's cape.

This man and bird of colour make me feel nauseous, which is crazy because I had been wishing for the existence and proof of colour and life, yet here I am shaking with fear and wishing to be back amongst grey landscapes. I hold up my grey hands in a weak attempt to shield myself from the brilliance of the golden-haired man with his scarlet cape.

"I apologize if all of this is strange to you, Link, but there is little time for me to explain for I must return you to your body without delay. I can say, however, that I borrowed our mount from a friend, or rather _our_ friend, who understood my urgency to find you. Only those who are worthy in the eyes of the goddess, Hylia, may ride the Crimson Loftwing! I admit that I was honoured to be accepted..."

"Link? My body? Wh-what? Who the hell are you? What are you talking about? The fuck is a Loftwing?"

Staring up at the knight who was looking on ahead with determination, I watch him blink in what looks to be surprise. My gut twists when I see the knight's expression grow hard with some sort of realization and his one good eye narrows a bit as he looks at me; I flinch back and reach up to grip my black, floppy hat to save it from slipping off. Wordlessly, the knight abruptly takes my left hand with his and I jerk back against the bird's neck from the electric-like shock his hand gives off. I try desperately to shield my eyes from the brilliant golden glow of the symbol upon his hand, for such brightness makes my entire body shake and I instantly feel even more ill and the urge to flee increases in my tense, monotone body.

"Link! Link is your name, you are the Hero Chosen by the Gods, and you are the rightful bearer of the Triforce of Courage! Accept these truths and shed this darkness that surrounds your heart and entraps your memories! By the goddesses, it is as I feared, you have been exposed too long to the Dark World and it has infested into your heart. We are nearly to the gate, just hang on!"

"Stop! Let go of me! It hurts! I don't know… I don't know what you're talking about! I think I'm…. I'm going to be sick! Let me go! Let me off this thing!"

I try to fight him off, to take back my hand and hide from the brightness of those golden triangles upon his hand but I can't, for he's too strong and the light it too bright. My vision begins to turn dark as the sickness and weakness within me intensifies. I can feel the wind shifting my hair, the strong beat of the bird's wings, and the knight trying to shake me awake but my eyes close and the last thing I hear is that name he keeps using, keeps calling me... my name? He said it was my name... Can it be true? Is my name actually...

"Link!"

/ / / / /

The man's lips parted slightly and his broken body took in a deep breath to break his sleep. With eyelids as heavy as stones, the Hylian struggled to open his eyes and blinking a few times he stared emptily at the scene in front of him. He can see that he's in a room that has all of its windows shuttered, so that the only light sources to illuminate the chamber are a few candles that are nearing the end of their lives and a fire that crackles in a large hearth at the side of the room. Blinking in the attempt to rid his bleary eyes from the presence of sleep-sand, the man twitched his fingers with the intention of rubbing his tired eyes but instead, discovered two things: neither did he think that he had the strength to even lift his hand and nor was his free to be able to do so even if it could. Confusion fluttered the man's eyelids and he looked at his commandeered right hand for it had been taken over by another, a more slender and soft hand that was not his. Slow to function, the man's eyes followed up the length of arm that was connected to the slender hand holding his and only then did his eyes finally open wide enough so that they could behold the figure who owned the slight hand.

The woman was beautiful, curled up in a comfy-looking chair that was situated at his bedside, and looking into her fair face the Hylian could see the tired circles darkening her eyes and the paleness in her skin from stress. She looked utterly exhausted yet still so pristine, regal, and composed even as she slept, her head resting against the back of the chair with her chin barely touching her left shoulder. Nothing adorned her long brunette hair, which had begun to fall from the braid that once held every silky strand of hair, though the state of her hair did little to obscure her natural beauty. The lady wore a simple dress of light lavender with a dark shawl abound her shoulders to fight off the touch of the winter's chill. Around the woman's neck the man could make out the chain of a necklace and when a flicker of light from the fireplace flashed across the chain, he glimpsed what looked to be the symbol with the three triangles before shadows hid the pendant from view once again. The man was staring, it was true, but it was the only thing he could do. His entire form was turned towards her, for he was resting on his right side. He could feel a mound of cushions supporting him so that he remained in the position. His left arm he couldn't feel at all, as if it were numb, and he couldn't move his fingers but such strange realities did not dwell for long in his mind because his world was focused on the sleeping woman beside him.

He knew her, he knew that he knew her, but her name was escaping him but he reckoned that that was probably because how cloudy his head felt, a feeling that was usually associated with drugs and oversleeping. If he could recognize that he'd been drugged and sleeping for some amount of time, then he could name this lady before him and identify why having her hold his hand made his heart flutter a bit. At the same time as he slightly adjusted his head on his pillow, putting a name to such a person made her no less or more beautiful and it did not help at all to explain why she looked so sad, so tired, so familiar… Once again the image of a face popped into the man's head and his brows shot up, though that only made his head itch as he became aware of the bandage upon his forehead, but with sudden realization he understood where he'd seen the woman's face before.

"The Dark World…" he muttered, but his lips froze when the lady stirred and shifted in her chair, her fingers tightening on his ever so slightly, and he watched her soft lips move out of sleep.

"Link…"

The single, soft-spoken word brought with it a sensation that felt very much like being thrown overboard off a ship into the ocean; in that moment, the man's entire world spun as memories, awareness, and knowledge stormed his foggy mind to the point that it hurt. Cringing as his identity returned to him, Link groaned aloud and he shut his eyes tight against remembering all of it at once: who he was, what he'd done, the pain he'd gone through, and the memory of what he could only classify as a dream of him being chased by black wolves and confronted by black copies of himself. It was too much, too much at one time, and in his desperation Link wretched his hand from the woman's to cradle his forehead, thus disturbing the lady from her slumber.

Continuing to groan and shut out the pain of his head, Link was startled when suddenly a pair of soft hands were at his head and he felt someone sit beside him on the bed. Opening his eyes as his hand was taken up by soft fingers, the Hylian knight gaped in awe and surprise at the lovely face of the sleeping woman who was now staring down at him with blue eyes of shock, relief, concern, worry, and happiness. When the lady's mouth became a soft smile Link felt his own lips twitch upwards in a weak attempt to follow suit.

"Zelda," he breathed, before his queen choked out a sob mixed with a relieved laughter and she brought his hand to her lips to gently kiss it and to hold his arm close and tenderly, her eyes never leaving his.

"Link… Oh, praise to all the goddesses and I thank them for their guidance and aid! You have returned to me… to all of Hyrule! I feared… there was worry that you might never wake but I never gave up hope and I have tried to be by your side as much as I have been able. I am so, so thankful and happy to see that you are awake."

"Zelda I… I don't know what to say… How, I mean, how…?"

"Quiet now, there will be time to explain but now you must preserve your strength and heal." Zelda bit her lower lip and her eyes grew even more misty, before she went on quickly, "Would you like some water?"

Cut off by his queen's gentle words, Link's expression became torn as questions filled his mind while he heart hurt to see how distressed the Queen of Hyrule sounded as she fought hard to retain her smile and fight back the tears the Link could see were hiding in the corners of her blue eyes. Sighing and licking his dry lips, the Hylian knight nodded for water and watched as Zelda gently set his hand back onto the bed and retrieved a bowl of water with a ladle sitting aside. When Link tried to sit up and reach for the water himself, Zelda softly eased him back before filling the ladle and a queen spooned water into her knight's mouth with practiced, calm hands. By the third ladle-full Link began to cough and water spilt down his chin but Zelda easily took up a rag and wiped his mouth, causing Link to blush and look up at her with surprised eyes.

"There's no need to look at me like that," she said gently with a small smile, as she set aside the bowl before facing him again. "As I said, I have been by your side as much as I have been able, to help take care of you where I could and to offer my prayers to the goddesses for your well-being. How are you feeling?"

Link blinked when Zelda set her hand on his forehead, which only made him blush more and heard her comment about him being a little warm. "Zelda, how long have I been asleep for?"

His question made his queen momentarily pause, before she busied herself with making sure that his blankets were to her liking. "From the time when you first lost consciousness to now, it has been five full days with the sixth being only a couple of hours away." Zelda spoke evenly and with compliance, but it was clear that her words were slightly forced and tinged with sadness.

"Five days? I've been… By Nayru… Please, Zelda, you have to tell me what happened, what I've missed! Please… I need to know."

"Link, please listen to me. You're very weak and I don't want you to get too worked up and exhaust yourself. There will be time for all of that but until then, I should really be going to notify Renado that you've woken up and-"

"Zelda, please. I need… Tell me what has happened."

Catching Zelda's hand as she was about to get up, Link looked his queen in the eye with an expression of pleading and of desperation, while images of the Dark World and the laughter of his dark doppelgängers echoed through his mind. Zelda, her eyes widening, opened her mouth to say something but didn't, as conflict and indecision swept across her tired features. Link watched her glance over towards the door and for a moment he truly thought that she was going to follow through with her words and leave him, but he heard her sigh and she sat back down onto the bed, her eyes on his right hand and how it held hers. Even after five years of friendship and close trust, Link had always been careful not to get too close physically to his queen out of respect of their positions, for she was the queen and he was her knight. So during all that time, he had never actually so boldly taken hold of her hand before and it took a moment for the knight to glance at his hand before quickly releasing hers.

"All right, Link, I will answer your questions. But first, please tell me what is the last thing that you remember, so I know where I ought to begin at."

Sighing a bit with relief that Zelda agreed to stay with him, Link smiled and settled back into his pillows as he stirred his thoughts and while frowning a bit, he slowly began to recall scenes of blood, pain, and screaming. "I remember that you and I had been out riding and there was… something happened, something bad. There was… the arrow, yes! I remember now... the ambush." Even as he spoke and his memories settled in their correct order, the Hylian recalled being impaled by the black arrow and instinctively his right hand went to touch his left shoulder but pain froze his movement as well as Zelda's hand.

"Yes, we were attacked and you were hit by a black arrow. We made it here to the castle but then you lost consciousness so we brought you to the infirmary. You regained consciousness and were still awake when we removed the arrow but, tell me, do you remember anything after that?"

Link, biting his lip against the dulled pain in his heavily bandaged left shoulder, looked up at Zelda and tried his best to read her cautious and concerned expression. Narrowing his eyes he tried to remember, he truly did, and slowly his features began to soften with remembrance as pieces of what happened after the arrow was pulled from his body and the knight's expression hardened with his frown.

"I do remember, Zelda. I remember pain and the fire, how it burned all through my body and it was so… unbearable. No, it was more than that... it was death, or a fate worse than death, I remember that much." Link's voice had grown quiet because of what he did remember, he wished he hadn't, for the amount of pain and agony he had experienced he wouldn't even wish it upon any his enemies for it had been so great. There came a point though, in all of the fire and pain that his memory ended and he looked to Zelda and took in her face of sorrow and considered the sudden urge to reach up and caress her cheek in the attempt to comfort her. He didn't, of course, and simply waited for her to gather herself until she answered.

"Yes, you were in such great pain, and Renado, Jerret, and Faris had a difficult time restraining you for you writhed so violently. As you might recall, there had been poison coating the arrow and of what sort of toxin it turned out to be, it came to our understanding that it was one of the purest evils. Link, you stopped breathing, a couple times actually, and it was only by the skill of Renado and the will of the goddesses that you were revived, though the first time I truly thought…" Zelda paused to take a breath, to compose herself, and the sight hurt Link's chest to much his breathing broke. "As I said, the poison was causing you to change and if I had not intervened with the Master Sword, I fear that you might have transformed into your beast form. Fortunately, Renado was able to stabilize you but just barely. You were suffering from extreme cold and we had a terrible time keeping you warm and Renado feared that you might develop hypothermia, which at the time made no sense."

"Yes, now I remember. When I was burning in pain you had said that I was cold, or someone did anyway..." the Hylian said slowly, absorbing all that Zelda was telling him. "But, what do you mean I was changing? Was the poison from the Twili?"

Such a thought stabbed Link's heart with a moment of betrayal and the face of Midna appeared in his mind, but he quickly pushed away such an idea. Still, what other substance held similar power to the Shadow Crystals and the Shadow Crystal Fog? Both had been created by Zant and had been able to transform Link into a wolf... But, Zant was dead and all connection to the Twilight Realm had been destroyed with the Mirror of Twilight. This Link knew to be true, for he had tried to find any other path if only to see Midna one last time. Still, to hear from Zelda that he had begun to transform was disturbing to say the least, for his time as a wolf was a secret of his that only Zelda knew. As troubling as this was, it still was difficult to even begin to try and comprehend that Midna, being the Princess of Twilight, might be behind the entire attack!

Fortunately, relief smothered his doubts when Zelda shook her head and pushed a hair behind her ear.

"No, it wasn't of Twili origin, though I'm afraid to admit it that there had been some supposition. Link, you must understand, that even though your condition had stabilized Renado made it clear that without the antidote to the poison, there had been no true way of knowing if you'd make it or not. I had all the medical records scoured and Renado and Dr. Borville spent hours arguing and discussing possible remedies but, the truth that we all had to face was the fact that giving you the wrong remedy could react with the poison in your body and kill you. There was almost no guarantee that you'd recover."

The queen's lower lip trembled and it took Link a moment or two to realize that this was probably the first time Zelda was probably admitting all of this aloud, maybe even to herself. Digging up all of the energy he could muster, Link silently raised his hand and aimed to smooth the back of his fingers against Zelda's quivering chin but he made it halfway before his arm gave out and his hand awkwardly landed on her thigh. Rather than react poorly to his offer of comfort, Zelda wordlessly took up her knight's hand and began to idly rub his fingers one at a time, a distraction for herself to collect her emotions and continue speaking.

"I didn't give up, Link, not on you. So, I saw it as a sign from the goddesses that on the third day after you lost consciousnesses a messenger came from the Fence with a package from the Gerudo."

"The Gerudo?" Link couldn't help to interrupt, but hearing of the desert tribe was something he hadn't expected because over the past few years all contact between the Hyruleans and the Gerudo were curt words at the border of the Great Desert and Lake Hylia about needed supplies and through him of course. To hear that the Gerudo were involved roused an unsure frown in Link's features, which helped evaporate some of his blush as Zelda continued to massage his one usable hand. In addition, being Hyrule's ambassador to the Gerudo meant Link had some emotional connection to the tribe and having spent the last couple of years in their midst he had learned a fair amount about their culture.

"Yes," Zelda continued, pausing in her movements with Link's hand to simply fold hers over his, "I was told by the Fencemen that having heard of your condition and ailments, Nabila herself entered Lake Hylia to notify the attention of the guard and gave them explicit instructions to deliver a package and letter to no one but me. When the package arrived, there was some fear that it might be a trap. I trusted your words and council, Link, what you had told me of Nabila being an honourable woman, so I opened it without hesitation. Inside there contained three vials of green liquid and in her letter Nabila explained that the vials contained the antidote to your poison."

Disbelief and shock rocked Link to the core and he tried to sit up but both Zelda and the scream of complaint from his wounded shoulder settled the Hylian back into his pillows, but that didn't stop his words. "What? Are you serious! Ow, sonofa… I mean, really? The Gerudo? Nabila? She poisoned me? No! I won't believe it! I won't-"

"Link! Rest assured, neither Nabila nor any member of the Gerudo alive was responsible for the poison, this I am almost completely positive of."

"But… but you just said… then how? And, almost? What?"

"In her letter," Zelda continued with a firmer voice, silently telling Link to settle down as she fixed his blankets, "Nabila explained that she recognized your ailments. Word of the ambush had spread across all of Hyrule, including details of what occured when the arrow was removed. Now, I am truly thankful that such gossip was uttered. Apparently, your symptoms were caused by a rare plant that is only found in remote regions of the desert, a plant the Gerudo call "Atishokull," or its translation, 'Death by Fire Within Ice'. It's one of the most dangerous poisons that can be procured and because of the extreme pain it can cause, it's only used as a death sentence to the most horrendous of offences committed by a member of the Gerudo. The use of the plant actually has been prohibited for over a century, this Nabila mentioned. How the Bokoblin came to have such a dangerous substance Nabila theorized that it came from a hidden store or from Ganondorf himself at some point, because it takes a full year to produce a large enough amount to kill a person. Once administered, it's almost sure death… Nabila made it clear in her words that even with the antidote, which the Gerudo seem to always keep on hand in case of emergencies, there is no guarantee that it will neutralize the affects of the Atishokull."

"So… then, I am alive… how?"

"You are alive because you are the Hero Chosen by the Gods, because you have the strength and courage of a true hero and because the Three Goddesses would not abandon you, I would not abandon you and your friends would not leave you to such a horrible death and… perhaps there was a little bit of luck there as well."

The faintest of smiles appeared on Zelda's tender lips and Link returned it with a wide one of his own. Whatever the reasons were, he was alive and he would thank all those involved and responsible later. Until then, Zelda still had some explaining to do before he did anything including reveal to Zelda about him being in the so-called Dark World with no memory. "Yeah, that's it. I'm just lucky and like always, I just overslept as per usual." He tried for a short chuckle but laughing hurt too much so he ended up just cringing and smiling, though his plan still worked and the knight watched his friend smile truly. Licking his lips, Link asked, "So… It's been, what, two days since I was given the antidote? And what does 'Death by Fire Within Ice' even mean?"

"Yes, that is correct. It was terrible, as soon as you were given the antidote your heart rate dropped and you began to shake violently and you were… screaming. You kept yelling and sounded so terrified, but I could not make out what you were saying. Eventually, you quieted and your body temperature began to rise but you remained asleep until, well now. I had you moved from the infirmary into this room for more privacy. According to Nabila, the poison is entitled as such because of what it does to the body. You yourself can support great feelings of burning, yet in fact your body felt as cold as ice and there were points as I said that we feared you were suffering from hypothermia. From what we've theorized from the poison and having analyzed it, the toxin attacks the body's control over temperature and while the victim would be feeling great heat, they'd actually be freezing to death as their heart rate dropped."

"Well, all right," Link answered, trying not to flinch when Zelda told him about screaming in fear. "But what about the Bublins? And Nabila? She actually went into Lake Hylia? And are you all right? Oh, by Din, Zelda, are you okay? I'm sorry I couldn't have been there and forgive me for pushing you but… but-"

"Quiet, Link... please. You need to sit back or else you'll disturb your arm." Once again, the Hyrulean Queen had to gently push her knight back into his pillows and sweeping back his bangs, she smiled a bit wider into his worried eyes. "For starters, Link, there is nothing you should be apologizing for. If anything, the fault is all mine that you were hurt and have ended up the way you are. Now, please, don't try to argue." Just as her knight was about to disagree, Zelda set her hand tenderly upon his cheek for a moment before idly checking on his head bandage. "If it weren't for my suggestion of a ride, we never would have been ambushed. I admit, Link, that from the evidence, I had grown careless and became too predictable with my schedule, that's how the Bublins knew where to wait for us. It would seem, that even with all of my efforts to increase Hyrule's defences, we had fallen into another sense of security and you were the who paid for my mistake... again."

Link listened quietly, though it was difficult to not interject and try to prove his queen wrong, as Zelda explained the events after he'd fallen unconscious. The Hyrulean Soldiers dispatched all remaining Bublins that they could find in the region and discovered another horde in the Eldin Province hiding in the Upper River location, waiting to ambush Link and Zelda if they had taken that route. An attack had been inevitable and Zelda expressed her regret that it was because the Bublins had learned on which days she and Link normally went for a ride together. Talk of the attack had spread through Hyrule quickly and sentiments and prayers had flooded in from every corner of Hyrule, including from the Zora and especially from the Goron, who saw Link as their brother and it grieved them to hear that he was so close to death. Word also has spread of Nabila appearing in Lake Hylia, which in fact signified the first time a Gerudo had stepped onto Hyrulean soil outside of the desert since Ganondorf, a fact that did not fail to escape the thoughts of many citizens, particularly many members of the Seven Noble Families.

"I have been approached more than once these past few days by members of the Council who have expressed their concern pertaining to the Gerudo and I have been pressured to initiate an investigation to prove whether or not the tribe had anything to do with the attack at the West Gate."

"What? Zelda, that's utter bullshit! I will face the Council myself and prove that Nabila would never do anything to jeopardize their already fragile way of life in their desert! That's their homeland and it would literally kill them if they had to leave it again!"

"Yes, Link, I know that you know this being their ambassador but the council members, as well as some members of the Royal Guard, have argued how suspicious it appeared that Nabila had the antidote to such a rare and dangerous poison when it failed to kill you as quickly as it would have if the arrow had shot through you completely. They have said that an investigation could find out if the Gerudo have anymore Atishokull."

"You can't be honestly considering this! Are you seriously going to sit there and tell me that you believe those pompous, lazy, fat morons who call themselves 'nobles' over me? I have spent time with the Gerudo! I know what they're capable of and while they are skilled fighters, poisoning is beneath their honour because if they truly wanted to kill me, they'd do so with their swords!"

"Link! Please listen to me! I know all of this and especially now that you have awakened I have more reason to refute such action. I have been against it myself, I assure you, but when it concerns the safety of my people there's only so much resistance I can put up without tangible proof." Raising her brow to challenge her knight's expression of anger, disgust, and distress, Zelda stared Link down until he scoffed and settled back down though it was plain to see that his opinion of the noble class had yet to change. Zelda frowned a bit and looked aside."Perhaps I have said too much for one day, you only just regained consciousness. I don't want you to stress yourself-"

"With all due respect, Zelda, I'm glad you told me this because as much as laying in bed for a week sounds amazing, now I have a reason to hurry up and heal so I can return to my ambassadorial duties."

Hearing Zelda sigh, Link looked up to meet her eyes and once again he saw just how tired she was and he felt his own anger and ambitions soften. Almost six days he'd been near death it seemed and by the looks of it and what he had heard, Zelda hadn't slept much the entire time, choosing rather to remain near him because she felt that this was all of her fault. Guilt flooded the Hylian's expression and Link cleared his throat before saying softly, "Forgive me, I spoke out of turn. I can't imagine how trying these last few days must have been for you and I don't wish to cause you any more pain by acting brash. I'm just… I'm glad to see that you're all right, Zelda. If you had been the one who had gotten struck by that arrow, I…"

Unable to finish such a terrible sentence, Link sighed and weariness was beginning to seep into his features. He was tired, beyond tired, and his left shoulder was beginning to throb after being jostled too many times, but he still wanted to talk, to ask how the Fence was doing, how Epona was fairing, if the Bublins has been sighted at all since the attack and about ten other questions. Instead his thoughts were quieted when Zelda touched his cheek once more, smiling softly down at him meeting his tired eyes with her own.

"We shall talk more later, my knight, but for now I really must inform Renado that you re awake because now, we will be able to start giving you Red Potion to help you heal and to restore your energy."

"Oh, lovely…"

Link lightly chuckled and grimaced at the thought of consuming the infamous energy-restoring Red Potion with its amazing aftertaste that was a combination between chalk and overripe tomatoes, at least to Link anyway, and he rather didn't care too much for tomatoes even when they were ripe. With a yawn, the man watched through sleepy eyes as his queen and dear friend adjusted his blankets before she stood, her slight figure hugged by her lavender dress and she pulled her shawl more tightly around her shoulders. Zelda turned over her shoulder and gave him a smile while she began to make her way towards the door.

"Zelda?"

"Yes, Link?"

"Is there anything else that happened while I was out? Anything important that I should know about?"

The Queen of Hyrule blinked at her knight's question and if it weren't for the shadows of the room she knew that he would have either seen the slight blush in her cheeks or how her eyes narrowed slightly with guilt. Zelda did not like lying, in fact she preferred to avoid the act entirely, yet when she answered her smile remained on her lips and her voice came easy, "No, Link. Anything else can wait until after you've rested and are better. I shall return shortly with Renado."

As she reached the door of the room and exited, Zelda pressed her back against the door and sighed, her head dropping low though her eyes were wide with confusion and disbelief. She had lied, as indirect as it was, but she was well aware that the Council's decision concerning her marriage would be considered important and that Link would've wanted to hear about it. Yet, she hadn't told him and it was her reasons that confused her so. The truth was, she didn't feel the need to tell him and the most logical explanation she could think up was the fact that she knew that the news would upset him and he was already too excited about what she's already told him. Though why he'd be upset, she could only assume a few reasons but deep down Zelda knew that he would not approve, especially of the candidates of her engagement. However, as she began to walk down the corridor headed towards the library where Renado had set up a research station about the Atishokull, the Hyrulean monarch frowned when her thoughts fluttered over her upcoming engagement and she silently admitted that she could not come up with one true reason why she had not told Link.

In the end, Zelda concluded that she didn't tell him because she didn't want to and that was the most confusing thing of all. But, perhaps anyways, it was because with Link knowing, it made it all the more real to her.

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**A/N: Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay on Chapter 8. It is coming, eventually... Any questions, PM me! Please! Leave reviews! I would like to see that people want more!**


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